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190' 


BEBECATHOM. 


To  those  who  are  getting  their  bread  and 
butter  by  raising  honey  to  spread  upon  the  bread 
and  butter  of  others,  this  book  is   dedicated  by 

The  Author. 


Iiiiilr©(dluiic4i©Eiio 


Z^  pN^HIS  book  is  intended  for  the  professional  bee-keeper;  hence  it 
is  taken  for  granted  that  the  reader  is  fairly  well  acquainted 
with  bees  and  their  management. 

No  space  is  devoted  to  the  natural  history',  anatomy  and 
physiology  of  the  bee,  because  my  experience  has  been  along  com- 
mercial, instead  of  scientific,  lines. 

The  history  of  this  book,  how  and  why  it  came  to  be  written 
and  published,  would  read  something  as  follows:  Twenty-  or  more 
3'ears  ago,  while  making  mj^  living  in  the  apiar}-,  I  learned  that,  with 
my  management,  it  was  more  profitable  to  use  starters,  only,  in  the 
brood-nest  when  hiving  swarms.  My  experiments  and  methods 
were  described  in  print;  others  tried  my  plans;  discussions  followed; 
and.  finally,  it  became  apparent  that  the  system  was  really  more 
complex  than  it  appeared  on  the  surface;  also,  that  short  articles 
scattered  through  different  bee  journals  did  not  present  the  subject 
in  the  best  possible  manner,  and,  as  a  result,  1  published  a  little 
book  in  which  I  described,  in  detail,  my  method  of  comb  honey 
production. 

One  of  the  criticisms  brought  against  the  little  book  was  its 
small  si;ce;  and  I  was  repeatedh'  urged  to  write  a  larger  book,  giving 
my  experience  and  views  more  in  detail,  and  upon  other  points. 
Flattering  as  all  of  this  may  have  been,  I  doubt  if  I  should  have 
yielded  to  these  entreaties  had  it  not  been  that  by  the  time  the  last 
copy  of  the  little  book  was  sold,  I  had  been  editorof  the  Bee-Keepers' 
Review  for  nearlv  four  years,  and  had  the  benefit  of  reading, 
and  studying  over,  special  discussions,  by  the  most  practical  men, 
of  the  most  important  questions  connected  with  our  pursuit.  As  it 
was,  I  went  to  work  and  classified,  arranged  and  condensed,  and 
gave  what  I  considered    the  cream  of  the  special   topic  discussions 

94708 


that  had  appeared  in  tlie  Review.  So  many  new  subjects  were  taken 
11])  that  the  ohl  title,  "The  Prodiietion  of  Comb  Hone}-,"  was  no 
lon}4-er  ai)i)roi)riate,  and,  as  I  was  jjfivinj^:  what  seemed  to  me  the  best 
and  most  advanced  methods,  I  called  the  new  book  Advanci-:d  Bek 
CuLTUKi:.  Two  years  ayfo,  the  first  edition  having-  been  exhausted, 
I  re-wrote  and  revised  everythinj^:  necessary  to  brin":  it  up  to  date, 
and  fJTOt  out  a  second  edition  which  has  since  been  sold.  The  pres- 
ent edition  lias  been  larjifely  re-written;  many  eng-ravinofs,  much 
new  matter,  and  a  more  substantial  binding,  being  added;  thus 
bringing  the  book  more  nearly  up  to  the  ideal  that  I  have  for  several 
years  had  in  mind. 

Advancicd  Bi;];  Cui.TUKi':  is  really  the  summing  up  of  the  best 
that  has  api)eared  in  the  Bee-Keepers'  Review  during  the  IS  years 
of  its  existence;  that  is,  from  a  most  careful  examination  of  the  views 
of  the  most  i)rogressive  men,  and  a  thorough  consideration  of  the 
same  in  the  light  of  mj^  experience  as  a  bee-keeper,  I  have  described 
in  i)lain  and  simple  language  what  I  believe  to  be  the  most  advanced 
methods  of  managing  bees,  /or  profit,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
season  throughout  the  entire  year. 

W.  Z.  HUTCHINSON,  Flint,  Mich. 


? 


?©°5ieep|Hii^  as  a  BrnslmK 


N  reply  to  the  query,  "What  will  best  mix  with  bee-keeping-?" 
I  have  alwa3's  replied:  "Some  more  bees."  When  the  condi- 
_[  tions  are  favorable,  I  am  decidedlj^  in  favor  of  bee-keeping-  as  a 
specialty- — of  dropping  all  other  hampering-  pursuits,  and  turn- 
ing- the  whole  capital,  time  and  energ-ies  into  bee-keeping-.  If  bee- 
keeping cannot  be  made  profitable  as  a  specialty,  then  it  is  unprofit- 
able as  a  subsidarj^  pursuit.  If  bee-keeping  must  be  propped  up 
with  some  other  pursuit,  then  we  better  throw  away  bee-keeping-, 
and  keep  the  prop. 

General  farming-  is  very  poorly  adapted  for  combining:  with  bee- 
keeping, yet  the  attempt  is  probablj'  made  oftener  than  with  any 
other  pursuit.  There  are  critical  times  in  bee-keeping-  that  will 
brook  no  dela^-,  when  three  or  four  days  or  a  week's  neg-lect  ma}' 
mean  the  loss  of  a  crop;  and  these  times  come  rig-ht  in  the  heig-ht  of 
the  season,  when  the  farmer  is  the  busiest.  Leaving-  the  team  and 
reaper  standing-  idle  in  the  back  fiekl  while  the  farmer  g-oes  to  the 
house  to  hive  bees,  is  neither  pleasant  nor  profitable.  Drawing  in  a 
field  of  hay,  while  the  bees  lie  idle  because  the  honey  has  not  been 
extracted  to  g-ive  them  store-room,  is  another  illustration  of  the  con- 
ditions with  which  the  farmer-bee-keeper  has  to  contend.  The  seri- 
ous part  of  it  is  that  the  honey  thus  lost  may  be  worth  nearly  or 
<iuite  as  much  as  the  hay  that  is  saved.  Some  special  lines  of  rural 
pursuits,  like  winter-dair^nng  or  the  raising  of  grapes,  or  winter- 
apples,  unite  with  bee-keeping-  to  much  better  advantage  than  gfen- 
eral  farming-;  but  when  bee-keeping-  is  capable  of  absorbing  all  of  the 
capital,  time  and  energy  that  a  man  can  put  into  it,  why  divide  these 
resources  with  some  other  pursuit?  It  has  been  said  that  bee-keep- 
ing is  a  precarious  pursuit,  that  it  cannot  be  depended  upon,  alone, 
to  furnish  a  livelihood;  and,  for  this  reason,  it  should  be  joined  with 
some  business  of  a  more  stable  character.  It  is  true  that  there  are 
many  localities  where  there  is  often  a  season  in  which  little  or  no 
honey   is  secured,  and,   in  the   Northern    States,  winter-losses  are 

D.    H.   HILL  LIBRARY 

North  Carolina  State  College 


10 


ADVANCED  BKK  CULTURE. 


«!i»*- 


»^,^  A...^-r-  .,  ',:  v.t^. 


Hard  Maple  Forests  of  Northern  Michigan. 

As  fast  as  tlie  timber  is    liiiiibere<l   off,   red   raspberries  spring   up   in    myriads,   furnishing    bee 
pasture  that  is  simply  incomi>arable. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  11 

sometimes  very  heav_v,  hence  it  would  be  risky  to  depend  entirely 
for  a  living:  upon  keepinfj  bees,  in  a  liuiiicd  waj^  in  such  localities; 
but,  if  the  avera<^e  protit  from  bee-keeping-,  one  year  with  another,  is 
not  the  e^iual  of  other  rural  pursuits,  why  keep  bees?  The  truth  of 
the  matter  is  that  it  is  greater;  and  if  bee-keepers  would  only  drop 
everything  else,  and  adopt  methods  that  would  enable  them  to 
branch  out  and  keep  hundreds  of  colonies  where  they  now  have 
dozens,  they  would  secure  enough  honey  in  the  good  years  to  more 
than  carry  them  over  the  poor  years,  and  thus  not  onh'  make  a 
living,  but  lay  up  mone}^ 

When  a  man  decides  to  cut  loose  from  everything  else,  and  go 
into  bee-keeping  extensively,  making  it  his  only  and  his  life-busi- 
ness, the  c[uestion  of  all  (juestions  is  that  of  locality.  There  are 
few  localities  in  which  a  small  apiary  might  not  yield  some  surplus, 
but  when  a  tnan  is  to  make  of  bee-keeping  his  sole  business,  the 
securing  of  the  best  possible  location  is  time  and  money  well  spent. 
What  a  good,  solid  foundation  is  to  a  "sky-scraper,"  a  good  location 
is  to  the  building  up  of  a  successful,  extensive  bee  business.  Having 
settled  in  a  locality,  the  bee-keeper  can  not  study  it  too  thoroughly. 
Especially  must  he  understand  its  honey  resources;  the  time  when 
each  flow  begins,  its  probable  duration,  its  quantity  and  character. 
He  must  know  whether  to  expect  a  spring-flow,  like  that  from  dande- 
lion, hard  maple,  or  fruit-bloom,  that  will  build  up  the  colonies  for 
the  main  harvest  that  is  to  come  later.  If  there  is  likely  to  be  a 
season  of  scarcity  between  the  early  flow  and  the  main  harvest,  it 
must  be  known,  and  preparations  made  to  keep  up  brood  rearing  by 
means  of  feeding  or  the  uncapping  of  honey.  The  management  will 
depend  largely  upon  the  source  of  the  main  honey-flow,  whether  it 
be  raspberry-,  cloyer,  basswood,  buckwheat,  alfalfa,  sage,  or  fall 
flowers.  Whatever  the  source,  the  bee-keeper  must  know  when  to 
expect  it,  and  plan  to  have  his  colonies  in  exactly  the  right  condition 
to  gather  it  when  it  comes.  This  is  one  of  the  fundamental  princi- 
ples of  successful  bee-keeping. 

Having  secured  the  most  desirable  location,  the  next  step  is  to 
procure  the  best  kind  of  bees  that  can  be  obtained.  There  are  sev- 
eral different  varieties  of  bees,  each  with  its  peculiarities,  but,  aside 
from  this,  every  bee-keeper  who  has  had  experience  with  several 
strains  of  the  same  variety,  knows  that  some  strains  are  far  superior 
to  others — that  there  is  scrub-stock  among  bees,  just  as  there  are 
scrub-horses,  cattle,  sheep  and  poultry.  With  scrub-stock,  the  cost 
of  hives,  combs  and  other  appliances  remains  the  same;  it  is  no  less 
work  to  care  for  such  stock;  and  it  requires  the  same  amount  of 
honev  to  raise  and  feed  it  as  it  does  the    best  stock  in  the  world.     In 


12 


ADVANCED  BKE  CULTlKi:. 


>\i'.% 


'<^::'^: 


..I 


.'V.  V-v>";^i 


?-*•■ 


o    ^ 


<    = 


'A, 


^ 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  13 

proportion  to  its  cost,  no  investment  bring^s  the  bee-keeper  g-reater 
i)rofit  than    the  securing-  of  superior  stock. 

Having:  secured  a  g^oocl  location,  and  g"ood  stock,  the  bee-keeper 
should  adopt  such  hives,  implements  and  methods  as  will  enable  him 
to  branch  out,  establish  out-apiaries,  and  keep  a  largfe  number  of 
colonies.  At  the  present  time  the  g-reatest  failing  of  professional 
bee-keepers  is  the  keeping-  of  too  few  bees — of  clinging-  to  some 
other  hampering-  pursuit.  Man}-  keep  enoug-h  bees  to  furnish  them 
a  fair  living-  in  a  g-ood  season,  but  when  winter  losses,  and  poor 
hone}"  seasons  follow  one  another  in  quick  succession, there  is  suffer- 
ing; or,  at  least,  g-reat  inconvenience.  If  a  man  is  g-oing-  to  follow 
bee-keeping-  as  a  profession,  his  only  hope  is  in  a  g-ood  location,  good 
stock,  and  the  keeping- of  bees  in  such  numbers  that  when  a  good 
year  comes  he  can  pile  up  the  honey  ton  upon  ton — enough  to  keep 
him  several  j^ears.  The  larger  a  business  the  more  cheaply  can  it 
be  conducted  in  proportion  to  the  results;  not  onh'  this,  but  the  very 
fact  that  bees  are  scattered  about  in  out-apiaries  several  miles  apart, 
adds  to  the  certainty  of  the  crop;  as  one  locality"  often  5'ields  a  fair 
crop  while  another  a  few  miles  awa}'  3'ields  nothing. 

It  has  been  urged  against  bee-keeping  as  a  sole  pursuit  that, 
while  it  keeps  a  man  very  busy  during  the  summer  it  leaves  him  idle 
in  the  winter.  Bee-keeping,  rightly  managed,  will  keep  a  man  busy 
every  daj-  in  the  j-ear.  Too  man^^  bee-keepers  fail  to  realize  that  the 
selling  of  a  crop  is  fully  as  important  as  its  production.  The  busi- 
ness part  of  bee-keeping  has  been  sadly  neglected.  No  set  rule  can 
be  given  as  to  how  a  man  shall  dispose  of  his  crop,  but  it  does  seem 
like  ver}'  poor  business  management  to  send  awa^^  a  crop  of  honey 
to  some  commission  merchant,  and  then  sit  around  all  winter  when 
good  wages  might  be  made  selling  hone^'  direct  to  consumers,  or  to 
retail  dealers.  The  selling  of  the  crop,  and  the  preparations  for  the 
coming  season,  may  well  occupy  a  man  during  the  winter. 

It  should  be  understood,  however,  that  bee-keeping  is  not  an 
occupation  in  which  one  can  easily  become  zvcalfhy.  In  this  respect, 
it  is  much  like  other  rural  pursuits.  Rightly  managed,  in  a  locality 
adapted  to  the  business,  it  can  be  depended  upon  to  furnish  a  com- 
fortable living,  and  perhaps  enable  a  man  to  lay  up  a  few  thousands 
of  dollars,  but  such  fortunes  as  are  sometimes  amassed  in  merchan- 
dising or  manufacturing  can  never  be  hoped  for  by  the  bee-keeper. 
Fortunately,  however,  the  perfection  of  a  man's  happiness  bears  but 
little  relation  to  the  size  of  his  fortune;  and  many  a  man  with  the 
hum  of  the  bees  over  his  head,  finds  happiness  deeper  and  sweeter 
than  ever  comes  to  the  merchant  prince  with  his  cares  and  his 
thousands. 


14 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


IS 


mlllfii^  Bi  St^irt  In  Hee°II.©e'pli!ii 


P^^nN  EES,  and  the  requisite  knowledge  for  their  manag^ement,  are 
I — =^>^  the  two  most  important  factors  in  making  a  start  in  the 
I  J_J  business.  The  latter  ought  to  be  secured  iirst;  or,at  least, 
its  acquisition  should  keep  pace  with  any  increase  in  num- 
bers of  the  former.  As  in  any  business,  so  with  bee-keeping,  it  pays 
well  to  lay  broad  and  deep  the  foundations  of  an  education  in  that 
line  of  work.  So  many  men  fail,  in  different  kinds  of  business,  be- 
cause they  start  in  with  onl^-  a  narrow  or  superficial  knowledge  of 
their  chosen  profession.  The  time  may  come  when  bee  culture  will 
be  taught  at  the  agricultural  colleges,  the  same  as  dair^^ing  is  now 
taught,  bat,  at  present,  the  nearest  approach  to  a  college-coarse,  is 
that  of  working  with  some  experienced,  successful  bee-keeper. 
This  is  the  quickest  way  of  learning  bee-keeping;  and,  if  the  teacher 
is  competent,  is  a  very  desirable  method.  The  beginner  is  not 
always  able  to  choose  wisel}^  in  "^electing  an  instructor,  hence,  it  is 
well  to  supplement  such  instruction  b}-  a  course  of  reading,  and  thus 
be  able  to  make  comparisons,  and  discuss  the  instructor's  methods 
in  the  light  of  those  emplo3"ed  by  others.  In  fact,  I  am  inclined  to 
think  that  a  thorough  course  of  reading  is  the  most  desirable  firs/ 
step  that  can  be  taken  bj^  a  prospective  bee-keeper.  One  after  the 
other,  I  w^ould  read  the  leading,  standard  text  books.  Having  done 
this,  the  next  step  is  to  subscribe  for  the  best  bee  journals.  At  this 
stage,  a  season  with  an  expert  bee-keeper  would  be  of  great  value; 
when  the  previous  reading  will  enable  the  apprentice  to  intelligentlj- 
use  his  mind,  and  see  the  rcasoji  of  things,  instead  of  being  simply' 
an  imitator,  follow'ing  blindly  in  the  footsteps  of  his  preceptor. 
Probably  nine-tenths  of  the  men  who  now  keep  bees,  never  served 
an  apprenticeship.  Many  have  become  interested  in  bees  from  the 
capture   of    a    stray    swarm.     Neighboring  bee-keepers  would    be 


U,  ADVANCED  BKK  CULTURK. 

visited,  books  or  papers  borrowed  or  boug-ht,  improved  hives  and 
methods  adopted,  and,  as  the  bees  increased,  so  did  the  enthusiasm 
and  interest,  until,  finally,  the  bees  received  more  time  and  attention 
than  did  the  reyfular  business;  thus  did  bee-keepinjr  eventually  be- 
come a  specialtv  or  the  sole  business. 

When  a  man  has  decided  to  embark  in  bee-keepinj^  as  a  business, 
he  should  in  some  manner  learn  the  business  thoroujifhly  before  in- 
vesting: extensively.  No  hard  and  fast  rules  can  be  laid  down;  so 
much  dependin}?  upon  circumstances.  A  younjif  man  with  no  estab- 
lished business,  would  do  well  to  pass  one  or  two  seasons  in  the  em- 
l)loy  of  some  experienced  bee-keeper,  as  has  been  already  suyfjrested, 
while  an  older  man  already  in  business,  with  a  family  to  support, 
may  find  it  advisable  to  gradually  work  into  bee-keepinjj,  reading- 
and  studying-  as  his  bees  increase.  Whatever  the  method  employed, 
let  the  work  be  thoroug-h;  and,  especially,  let  there  be  plenty  of  actual 
experience  before  venturing-  extensivelj-. 

As  a  rule,  a  man  already  has  some  bees  when  he  decides  to  be- 
come a  bee-keeper.  Perhaps  he  never  formally  makes  any  such  de- 
cision. He  captures  a  stray  swarm,  or  cuts  a  bee  tree  and  saves 
the  bees,  and  the  stock  increases  with  such  wonderful  rapidity  that 
the  owner  becomes  a  bee-keeper  ere  he  scarcely  realizes  it.  This 
wonderful  rapidity  with  which  bees  increase  is  one  strong  argfument 
in  favor  of  a  man  securing  a  few  colonies  and  building  them  up  into 
an  apiary,  instead  of  buying  a  large  number  of  colonies  at  the  begin- 
ning. By  rearing  (jueens  with  which  to  furnish  the  newly  made  col- 
onies, and  furnishing  them  with  full  sheets  of  comb  foundation,  the 
extent  to  which  bees  can  be  increased  in  a  favorable  season  is  some- 
thing almost  beyond  belief.  Just  how,  or  where,  the  first  colonies 
shall  be  secured  may  well  be  considered.  As  a  rule,  the  man  who 
has  steady  work,  at  good  wages,  better  buy  bees  in  such  movable 
comb  hives  as  he  intends  to  use.  If  he  can  get  them  near  home,  of 
some  reliable  bee-keeper,  so  much  the  better.  Of  course,  there  are 
instances  in  which  a  man  has  more  time  than  money,  or  there  may 
be  a  trace  of  the  sportsman  in  his  make-up,  and,  in  either  case,  the 
hunting  of  bees,  or  the  putting  out  of  decoy  hives  to  catch  stray 
swarms,  will  make  to  him  a  strong  apjieal.  In  those  parts  of  the 
country  where  many  bees  are  kept,  yet  there  is  not  much  timber,  as 
in  Colorado  or  California,  there  is  no  difficulty  in  catching  swarms 
in  decoy  hives;  in  fact,  there  is  difficulty  in  keeping  swarms  out  of 
chimnevs,  and  the  walls  of  buildings.  While  outriding  one  day  with 
Mr.  (iill,  of  Colorado,  he  pointed  out  one  house  in  the  walls  of  which 
five  colonies  had  their  homes.  In  California  Mr.  Mendelson  set  awaj^ 
three  emptj-  hives  in  his  wagon  shed,  and  when  I  was  there  swarms 


ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURE. 


17 


had  taken  possession  of  two  of  the  hives.  E\en  in  well-timbered 
localities,  stray  swarms  are  fretjuentl^-  caught  in  deco^-  hives.  Mr. 
George  A.  Fenton,  of  Pine  Island,  Minnesota,  reported  in  the 
Review,  in  1900,  that  he  had,  the  previous  3-ear,  caught  more  than  50 
swarms  in  decoy  hives.  He  used  ordinary  boxes  instead  of  hives, 
and  put  them  pretty  high  up  in  tall  trees,  as  a  good  hive,  easih'  ac- 
cessible, is  quite  likely  to  be  stolen.  A  piece  of  old,  black  comb  is 
fastened  inside  the  hive,  or  box,  and  the  latter  firmly  fastened  to  the 
tree  so  as  not  to  be  easih'  blown 
down,  a  position  being  chosen 
where  the  hive  will  be  in  the 
shade.  A  tree  on  the  edge  of  the 
woods  is  chosen,  as,  when  a 
swarm  reaches  the  woods  it  at 
once  begins  a  search  for  a  suit- 
able hollow  in  Avhich  to  make  its 
home.  The  hives  are  examined 
as  often  as  once  a  week,  oftener 
if  there  is  time,  and  when  one  is 
found  occupied  the  tree  is 
ascended  by  the  use  of  climbers, 
the  box  lowered  by  means  of  a 
rope,  and  another  box  fastened 
up  in  its  place.  Mr.  Fenton  at- 
tributed his  success  to  the  fact 
that  the  farmers  near  him  who 
had  a  few  bees  did  not  watch 
them,  but  let  the  swarms  go  to 
the  woods,  and,  further,  there 
was  no  /ar,^c  timber  for  many 
miles  around. 

In  all  probability,  more  of  my 
readers  would  be  able  to  secure 
bees  b}'  finding  and  cutting  bee- 
trees,  than  b3'  putting  out  deco^- 
hives,  and,  as  the  subject  will  not 
be  touched  upon  elsewhere,  I  will 

here  describe  how  bee-trees  are  found.  In  principle,  it  is  simply 
that  of  putting  out  honey,  in  times  of  scarcity,  when  bees  will  "rob," 
watching  the  loaded  bees  as  they  fly  home,  and  following  the  "line" 
of  bees  to  the  tree,  but  there  are  manj-  details  the  observance  of 
which  greatly  aids  the  hunter  in  his  search.  Those  who  hunt  bees 
to  any  great  extent  use  what  is  called  a  "bee-box."     This  is  a  small 


DIXOY  PIIVI-:  IX  POSITION. 


18 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


"Lining"  Wild  Bees. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  19 

box  made  in  two  parts,  the  lower  half  being  used  to  hold  a  piece  of 
comb  filled  with  honey,  while  the  upper  part,  or  cover,  is  used  prin- 
cipally for  catching  the  bees  and  getting  them  at  work  upon  the 
"bait."  The  top  of  the  upper  part  is  covered  with  a  glass,  and  a 
short  distance  below  the  glass  is  a  horizontal,  sliding  partition;  while 
still  lower,  just  at  the  lower  edge  of  one  of  the  sides,  is  a  small 
opening  covered  on  the  inner  side  with  glass.  Equipped  with  his 
box  and  a  bottle  of  diluted  honey,  the  bee  hunter  begins  operations 
in  some  field  or  cleared  spot  near  the  forest  in  which  he  expects  bee- 
trees  may  be  found.  The  honey  is  diluted  with  an  equal  amount  of 
water,  as  it  enables  the  bees  to  load  and  unload  quicker,  to  fly  faster, 
and  in  a  more  direct  line.  Sometimes  pieces  of  old  comb  are  burned, 
the  odor  from  the  "smudge"  attracting  bees  from  a  long  distance. 
If,  by  careful  search,  a  bee  is  found  industriously  at  work  upon  some 
weed,  the  cover  to  the  box  is  taken  off,  the  slide  drawn  nearly  out, 
and  the  open  or  lower  side  of  the  cover  held  near  the  bee.  A  hand- 
kerchief is  then  held  upon  the  opposite  side  of  the  bee,  and,  as  the 
cover  and  the  handkerchief  are  brought  tiuickly  together,  the  bee  is 
caught  in  the  former.  Seeing  the  light,  the  bee  at  once  buzzes  up 
against  the  glass  toj)  of  the  cover,  when  the  slide  is  shoved  in,  thus 
making  the  bee  a  prisoner.  The  cover  is  n(3w  replaced  upon  the 
box.  the  box  set  upon  a  stump  or  upon  a  stake  stuck  in  the  ground, 
the  slide  drawn  nearh'  out,  and  the  handkerchief  spread  over  the 
glass  top.  The  bee  now  sees  only  one  opening,  the  small  one  in  the 
side  of  the  cover  near  its  lower  edge,  and  in  attempting  to  escape  by 
the  lower  opening,  the  bee  comes  in  contact  with  the  comb  of  hone}' 
in  the  lower  part  of  the  box. 

To  find  the  hone}-  is  to  at  once  begin  "loading  up."  Occasion- 
ally removing  the  handkerchief  shows  when  the  bee  has  found  the 
hone},  and  as  soon  as  it  is  seen  filling  its  sac,  the  hunter  carefulh' 
removes  the  cover,  and  places  his  eye  near  the  ground.  This  posi- 
tion is  assumed  to  secure  the  sk}'  as  a  background  in  watching  the 
bee  take  its  homeward  flight.  Under  such  conditions  a  bee  can  be 
kept  in  sight  for  a  long  distance.  A  minute  or  two  suffices  for  the 
bee  to  fill  its  honey  sac,  when  it  slowly  rises  in  gradually  widening 
circles.  Each  time  around  it  sways  more  and  more  to  one  side — to- 
ward the  spot  where  it  lives;  finally,  having  taken  its  "bearings,"  it 
strikes  a  "bee-line"  for  home.  In  a  short  time  it  returns  with  per- 
haps three  or  four  companions  in  its  wake — eager  to  learn  from 
whence  came  that  fine  load  of  honey.  The  result  is  that  a  strong 
"line"  of  bees  is  finally  at  work  between  their  home  and  the  hunter's 
box.  He  now  puts  the  cover  on  the  box,  shutting  in  the  bees,  and 
moves   along  on   the  "line"  towards  their  home.     After  going  some 


20  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

distance  the  bees  are  released,  when  they  at  once  leave  for  home, 
only  to  return  and  re-establish  the  "line,"  when  the  hunter  a<j:ain 
closes  the  box  and  moves  forward.  Whenthe  l)ees  turn  and  tly  back 
on  the  line,  it  shows  that  the  tree  has  been  passed  and  must  be  near 
at  hand.  At  this  point  in  the  }.;ame  it  may  be  advisable  to  resort  to 
what  is  known  as  "cross-lining:,"  that  is.  the  box  is  moved  off  several 
rods  to  one  side,  and  another,  or  "cross-line,"  established.  The  tree 
must  certainly  be  near  the  point  where  these  two  lines  intersect. 
The  trunks  and  branches  of  all  largfe  trees  in  the  vicinity  are  now 
carefully  examined,  jiarticular  attention  bein^r  paid  to  any  knot  holes 
or  openinofs.  Gettin.iif  the  tree  between  the  sun  and  the  observer 
gfreatly  aids  in  discoverinir  any  bees  that  may  be  flitting:  about.  An 
opera  g:lass  is  also  a  g:reat  aid  in  this  i)art  of  the  work. 

Bee-trees  are  also  found  by  walking-  throug:h  the  woods  in  tlie 
first  warm  days  in  the  sjiring:,  before  the  snow  is  off  the  grround, 
listening-  to  their  humming:  nnd  noticing-  the  dead  bees  that  have 
been  broug-ht  out  and  dropped  upon  the  snow. 

After  the  bees  have  been  found,  then  comes  the  task  of  g-etting- 
them  out  of  the  tree  and  into  a  hive.  Sometimes  it  is  possible,  if 
they  are  located  in  a  larg:e  limb,  to  cut  off  the  limb  beyond  the  portion 
occupied  by  the  bees,  and  then  cut  off  the  portion  in  whicli  they  are 
located,  and  lower  it  by  means  of  a  rope.  Ag:ain,  it  is  sometimes 
l)ossible  to  rig:  up  a  temporary  scaffold,  and  cut  out  a  piece  of  the 
tree  over  the  bees'  home,  remove  the  combs  and  lower  them  in  a 
basket.  Such  proceeding's  are  attended  with  more  or  less  (lang:er, 
even  when  carried  out  by  the  most  careful  of  men,  and  I  would 
rather  jiul  up  witli  the  more  or  less  broken  condition  of  the  combs 
that  usually  result  from  cutting-  down  the  tree,  than  with  broken 
leg:s  or  arms.  Many  times  a  tree  can  be  sog:ui(led  that  it  will  strike 
ui)()n  smaller  trees  that  will  !>reak  the  fall.  The  sa\ing- of  the  bees 
and  combs,  after  they  have  been  reached,  is  very  similar  to  an  ordin- 
ary job  of  transferring-  from  an  old  1)Ox  hive  to  a  movable  comb  hive. 
Pieces  of  comb  containing-  brood  must  1)e  fastened  into  frames,  and 
hung-  in  the  hive,  and  as  many  as  possible  of  the  bees  g:uided  into  the 
entrance.  If  the  hive  is  left  on  the  si)ot  for  several  hours,  perhaps 
over  nigfht,  nearly  all  of  the  live  bees  will  gather  into  the  hive. 

As  I  said  at  the  beg^inning-,  if  a  man  has  steady  work  at  g:ood 
wag:es,  he  will,  as  a  rule,  tind  it  more  satisfactory  to  buy  bees  in 
g^ood,  movable  comb  hives;  but,  if  he  has  the  time  and  inclination  to 
g-et  a  start  by  hunting:  bees,  or  by  putting-  u\)  decoy  hives,  what  I 
have  written  will  show  him  how  to  do  it. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  21 


Mlstafites  Him  Be©°]rie©pnini^o 


T  is  pleasant  to  tell  of  success.  Mistakes  are  mentioned  with 
reluctance;  3-et  they  ma^'  be  of  equal  value  for  impartinof  infoi*- 
mation.  Mr.  J.  M.  Smith  of  Wisconsin  is  a  noted  horticultu- 
rist. The  crops  of  berries  and  cabbages  that  he  raises  are 
something  wonderful.  His  contributions  to  the  press  are  valuable; 
but  I  never  read  one  that  contained  more  information  than  the  one 
in  which  he  recounted  the  niis/cd-rs  of  his  horticultural  life.  I  be- 
lieve that  space  can  be  protitably  used  in  mentioning"  a  few  things 
that  experienced  bee-keepers  look  upon  as  mistakes  in  bee-keeping. 

A  man  who  has  decided  that  he  will  make  bee-keeping  his  life- 
business,  makes  a  mistake  when  he  gets  a  few  colonies  and  attempts 
to  learn  the  business  all  by  himself.  Both  time  and  money  will  be 
saved  by  passing  at  least  one  season  in  the  employ  of  some  success- 
ful bee-keeper. 

If  a  man  must  start  with  a  few  colonies,  and  learn  the  business 
by  himself,  let  him  avoid  the  mistake  of  attempting  to  follow  several 
leaders  or  systems.  Much  confusion  and  annoyance  will  be  saved  if 
he  adopts  the  teachings,  methods  and  appliances  of  some  one  suc- 
cessful bee-keeper.  He  may  make  the  mistake  of  not  choosing  the 
best  system,  but  better  this  than  a  mixture  of  several  systems. 

A  beginner  is  quite  likely  to  fall  into  the  error  of  increasing  his 
colonies  too  rapidly.  There  is  probably  no  mistake  so  disastrous 
as  this,  on  account  of  its  frequency-  and  results.  To  the  beginner, 
this  is  very  tempting  ground.  If  bee-keeping  must  be  learned  by 
experience  and  reading  <  without  the  serving  of  an  apprenticeship ) 
the  beginning  should  be  small,  and  practical  knowledge  and  skill 
keep  pace  with  the  increase  of  colonies. 

A  mistake  that  has  been  made  by  many  is  in  looking  upon  bee- 
keeping as  a  sort  of  royal    road  to  wealth,  or,  at   least,  a  good  livings 


22  ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURE. 

with  but  little  labor,  and,  some  believe,  little  brains,  after  they  have 
once  "caught  on"  to  a  few  secrets.  '?)  To  choose  any  business 
simply  because  it  is  i)rolitable,  is  the  hei<rht  of  folly.  A  business 
that  is  unusually  i)rorital)le  does  not  lonjjf  remain  such.  It  soon  be- 
comes overcrowded,  and  loses  its  bonanza  character.  A  man  should 
choose  a  business  because  he  and  his  surroundinjjfs  are  best  a(lai)ti(l 
to  the  pursuit. 

Many  fallintt)  the  error  of  judjiiny  entirely  by  jr>////s,  re}.rardless 
of  causes.  As  that  excellent  bee-keeper,  K.  I>.  Taylor,  of  Michii^an, 
once  said:  "The  .ijfreatest  actual  results  do  not  prove  the  method  of 
manaji"ement  by  which  they  were  produced  to  be  the  best.  Time, 
and  labor,  and  thoujjfht,  and  care,  and  material,  and  capital,  are  all 
mone^',  so  the  jjfreatest  results  numerically.  ma\-  be  obtaint'd  at  a 
loss,  while  the  least  apparent  results  may  yield  a  i)r(>lit." 

In  much  this  same  manner  do  many  bee-keepers  make  the  mis- 
take of  computinjr  their  income  at  so  man\  pounds  per  colony,  and 
at  so  much  per  pound.  The  jjfreatest  yield  i)er  colony  mi.tjfht  nc  t  be 
so  prolitable  as  a  less  yield  per  colony  from  more  colonies,  or  e\en  a 
lessened  yield  from  the  same  number  of  colonies.  If  a  <^reat  yield 
per  colony  is  the  result  of  a  great  deal  of  work,  it  may  be  that  the 
work  was  done  at  a  loss.  Bee-keepinjif  should  be  \iewed  in  a  broader 
li«.iht.  It  may  sometimes  be  profitable  to  put  a  j>"reat  deal  of  work  on 
each  colony,  but  each  bee-keeper  should  ask  himself,  how,  r/// thin.iis 
considered,  can  I  make  the  most  i)r()lit  ?  That  is  the  (juestion,  and 
all  other  propositions  not  relatinjjf  directly  thereto  are  mistakes. 

And  this  leads  to  the  mention  of  another  mistak'e,  the  keei)in<»' 
of  too  few  bees.  Instead  of  keepin,!^-  only  a  few  colonies,  and  strivinjif 
to  secure  the  larji^est  yield  per  ct)lony,  it  is  usuall\  move  i)rtilital)le 
to  keep  more  bees  enouj^h  to  <>'ather  all  the  honey  in  a  j^iven  area, 
and  then  when  that  area  is  overstocked,  it  is  jjrobably  a  mistake  not 
to  start  out-apiaries.  Tliere  is  much  to  be  «i"aine(l  in  lia\in.ir  as  few 
^■/i/(/s  oi  thinj^-s  to  do  as  i)ossil)le,  and  as  Diiir/i  o{  them  as  can  be 
manajjed.  The  i)roportional  cost  of  doin.i;-  business  is  .ij-reatly 
lessened  by  increasing;"  the  volume. 

Another  mistake  is  that  of  choosinj^-  hi\es.  implements  and 
methods  that  are  complicated  and  reijuiri'  much  time  for  their  ma- 
nipulation. A  most  common  irror  in  this  direction  is  that  of  tryinj.^ 
to  adapt  hives  to  Arr.s-,  to  such  an  extent  as  to  almost  entirely  i<ifnore 
the  adaptability  of  the  hive  to  the  bee-kei'per.  I  remember  once 
hearinjifa  bee-keeper  arjifuinj;-  lor  a  lii\e  that  it  was  "sohand\-  for  tlie 
bees.'"  "Why,"  said  he,  "if  you  wi're  buildinj^:  a  house,  would  y<ui 
have  it  so  arrang^ed  that  \-our  wife  would  be  compelled  to  j^o  up  and 
down  stairs  between  the    kitchen  and   the  pantry?"     It    must  be  re- 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  23 

menibered  that  we  build  hives  for  our  bees,  and  houses  for  our 
wives,  with  altojifether  different  objects  in  view.  We  don't  keep  bees, 
nor  arranyfe  their  hives,  so  much  with  a  view  to  saving-  them  labor, 
as  that  zvc  may  get  the  most  honey  with  the  least  labor  to  ourselves. 
Drone-traps,  queen-traps,  self-hivers,  queen-excluders,  separators, 
and  many  other  contrivances,  are  probably  not  considered  "handy" 
by  the  bees,  but  their  use  is  an  advantage  to  us. 

It  is  in  line  with  this  method  of  reasoning  that  causes  some  bee- 
keepers to  make  the  mistake  of  condemning  any  practice  that  is  not 
"according  to  nature."'  The  whole  system  of  modern  bee  culture  is 
largeh'  a  transgression  of  nature's  laws,  or  of  managing  differently 
than  the  bees  would  manage  if  left  to  their  own  wa3"  of  doing  things. 
In  some  things  it  is  advisable  to  allow  nature  to  have  her  own  w^aj', 
in  others  it  is  not,  and  our  success  is  just  in  proportion  as  we  learn 
when  and  where  we  can,  advantageously,  to  a  certain  extent,  cross 
nature's  methods  with  those  of  man's  intelligence. 

Mistakes  have  been  made,  and  erroneous  conclusions  arrived  at, 
b}'  experimenting  upon  too  small  a  scale.  There  are  some  kinds  of 
experiments  which  will  demonstrate  truths  just  as  well  upon  a  small 
as  upon  a  large  scale,  while  there  are  others  requiring  experiments 
upon  a  large  scale,  and  a  repetition  of  experiments,  before  definite 
conclusions  can  be  arrived  at. 

Man}'  beginners  make  the  mistake  of  thinking  that  the}-  can  im- 
prove some  of  the  standard  hives  and  implements;  and  that  before 
they  have  fairly  learned  the  business.  A  beginner  with  a  few 
brains,  boards,  and  buzz  saw,  is  the  man  of  all  others  who  feels  called 
upon  to  invent  a  bee  hive. 

Others  make  the  mistake  of  adopting  new  hives,  implements, 
methods,  or  varieties  of  bees,  upon  too  large  a  scale  before  the}'  are 
certain  that  the  change  will  be  desirable.  When  a  new  thing  with 
one  advantage  is  held  up  before  our  eyes,  we  are  too  much  given  to 
forgetting  the  many  advantages  possessed  by  the  article  that  we 
are  asked  to  lay  aside  for  the  new  comer.  As  a  rule,  the  rank  and 
file  can  afford  to  wait  until  at  least  good  reports  are  given  in  regard 
to  a  novelty.  Then  it  will  be  in  order  to  experiment  upon  no  larger 
scale  than  that  upon  which  failure  can  be  met  and  borne. 

Speaking  of  the  "rank  and  file"  waiting  for  the  leaders  or  others 
to  try  novelties,  reminds  me  that  it  is  a  mistake  to  have  undue  con- 
fidence in  the  leaders,  or  in  any  one.  for  that  matter.  It  is  possible 
that  they  may  be  in  error,  or  some  unknown  circumstances  may 
cause  different  results  at  different  times  in  other  localities.  It  is  a 
mistake  to  pin  one's  faith  blindly  to  another.  Read  how  other  men 
have   succeeded,  consider   their   advice,  but   do   your   own  thinking- 


24  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

just  the  same,  and  try  thinyfs  for  yourself  until  you  are  sure  you  are 
ri{:^ht,  then  go  ahead. 

One  expensive  mistake,  yet  one  that  is  easily  avoided,  is  made 
5'ear  after  year  by  many  bee-keepers,  and  that  is  not  securing:  hives, 
sections,  foundation  and  other  supplies  in  season.  They  iiiloid  to 
buy  them  soon  enough,  but  wait  until  the  last  moment.  So  many 
others  do  the  same  thiny:  that  dealers  and  manufacturers  are  over- 
run with  orders,  and  expensive  and  vexatious  delays  occur.  A  de- 
la\'  of  a  few  days,  at  just  the  right  time,  sometimes  means  the  loss 
of  a  crop  of  honey. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  attempt  the  production  of  honey,  commercially, 
in  a  locality  not  suited  for  the  business.  The  same  may  be  said  of 
queen  rearing.  It  is  a  mistake  to  attempt  it  as  a  business  in  the 
Northern  States — the  seasons  are  too  short.  I  followed  it  several 
years,  and,  while  the  experience  may  be  valuable  to  me  in  my  posi- 
tion, I  am  now  well  satisfied  that  I  would  have  made  vastly  more 
money  had  I  turned  my  whole  time  and  attention  to  the  ])roduction 
of  honey. 

It  is  a  mistake  to  suppose  that  a  i>oor  location  can  l)e  changed  to 
a  good  one  by  planting  for  honey.  Those  who  thus  imagine  do  not 
realize  the  vast  area  of  bloom  that  is  needed  ti)  produce  a  surplus 
crop  of  honey.  The  bees  of  an  apiary,  going  2'-'  miles  in  every 
direction,  scour  a  territory  of  about  12,000  acres.  There  is  this  to 
be  said,  however,  if  the  soil,  climate,  and  other  conditions,  are  such 
that  it  is  prolitable  for  farmers  to  raise  such  crops  as  yield  honey, 
then  they  will  be  raised,  and  the  acreage  will  be  such  Ih.it  the  yield 
of  honey  from  tliem  will  be  of  benefit  to  an  apiary  in  that  locality. 
Note  the  buckwheat  regions  of  New  York  and  the  alfalfa  fields  of 
Colorado  as  examples. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ZO 


Tlhe  HimlOl^eiiiC®  ©f  IL©caSfltyc 


~\  N  my  earlier  bee-keepinof  years,  I  was  often  sorelj-  puzzled  at  the 
diametrically  opposite  views  often  expressed  by  the  different 
correspondents  for  the  bee  journals.  In  extenuation  of  that 
state  of  mind  I  may  say  that  at  that  time  I  did  not  dream  of  the 
wonderful  differences  of  locality  in  its  relation  to  the  management 
of  bees.  I  saw,  measured,  weighed,  compared,  and  considered  all 
things  apicultural  by  the  standard  of  m^^  own  home — Genesee 
County,  Michigan.  It  was  not  until  I  had  seen  the  iields  of  New 
York  white  with  buckwheat,  admired  the  luxuriance  of  sweet  clover 
growth  in  the  suburbs  of  Chicago,  followed  for  miles  the  great  irri- 
gating ditches  of  Colorado  where  they  give  life  to  the  royal  purple  of 
the  alfalfa  bloom,  and  climbed  mountains  in  California,  pulling  my- 
self up  by  grasping  the  sage  brush,  that  I  fulU^  realized  the  great 
amount  of  apicultural  meaning  stored  up  in  that  one  little  word — 
lora/ily. 

The  basic  principles  of  apiculture  are  the  same  the  world  oyer, 
but  the  management  must  be  varied  according  to  the  locality.  In 
the  South  and  extreme  West,  the  wintering  of  bees  is  easih^  accom- 
plished; it  being  necessar}^  onh',  to  see  that  the}-  have  sufficient  food. 
As  we  go  North,  some  protection  must  be  given — either  b}'  packing 
or  by  the  use  of  chaff  hives.  As  we  go  still  farther  North,  success- 
ful wintering  is  secured,  as  a  rule,  only  by  the  use  of  first-class 
winter-stores,  and  putting  the  bees  into  a  cellar. 

In  Cuba  and  Florida  the  honey  harvest  comes  in  the  cooler  part 
of  the  year,  or  what  corresponds  to  our  Northern  winter,  and  those 
varieties  of  bees  that  will  breed  late  in  the  summer,  even  though 
little  or  no  honey  is  coming  in,  are  more  desirable;  as  more  popu- 
lous colonies  are  thus  secured  at  the  opening  of  wanter.  In  the 
Northern  States,  east  of  the  Mississippi,  the  main  honey-flow  comes, 

D.   H.   HILL  LIBRARY 

North  Carolina  State  College 


26 


ADVANCED  BKK  CULTURE. 


o 


o 


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ADVANCKD  BF:E  CULTURK.  27 

as  a  rule,  earl}-  in  the  summer.  It  may  be  very  abundant,  but  is 
seldom  of  lon^-  duration;  for  this  reason  those  varieties  of  bees  are 
preferable  that  rear  brood  very  abundantly  early  in  the  season,  and 
then  slacken  breeding:  as  soon  as  the  main  harvest  bejjins.  In  some 
parts  of  the  West  the  honey  harvest  is  much  Ioniser  than  in  the  East. 
There  are  no  such  rapid  flows  as  we  have  here  sometimes  from  bass- 
wood,  but  there  is  a  steady  flow  that  may  last  for  months;  the  con- 
ditions beinjjf  ideal  for  the  production  of  comb  honey,  as  there  is 
abundant  time  in  which  to  build  combs  for  the  storajje  of  the  honey, 
fill  them  and  seal  them  over. 

In  the  white  clover  and  basswood  regions,  swarming-  and  the 
main  honey-harvest  come  at  the  same  time;  in  some  parts  of  the 
Southwest,  swarming  comes  on  with  the  flow  from  the  early,  minor 
honey  plants,  and  is  almost  entirely  abandoned  with  the  advent  of 
the  heavy  honey-flow  that  comes  on  later. 

The  question  of  large  versus  small  hives,  over  which  there  have 
been  so  many  spirited  discussions,  is  largely  one  of  locality.  In  the 
cooler  regions,  where  the  harvest  is  early  and  short,  small  hives  find 
favor,  especiall}-  in  comb  honey  production,  while  the  large  hive  is  a 
favorite  in  the  warmer  regions  that  are  blessed  with  a  long-  honey- 
flow. 

Which  the  bee-keeper  shall  produce,  comb,  or  extracted  honey, 
is  also  larg-ely  a  question  of  locality.  Where  the  main  honey-flow  is 
short,  as  it  often  is  from  basswood,  sometimes  lasting  only  a  few- 
days,  there  is  not  time  for  the  bees  to  build  combs  in  the  sections, 
till  them,  and  cap  them  over,  before  the  harvest  is  over  and  past. 
With  full  sets  of  drawn  combs  in  the  extracting-supers,  a  good  crop 
of  extracted  honey  maj-  be  secured  within  a  week.  Such  conditions 
as  these  exist  in  man}-  parts  of  Wisconsin.  Where  honey  must  be 
shipped  long  distances  to  market,  as  is  the  case  in  Cuba  and  Cali- 
fornia, one  ver}- important  reason  for  producing  extracted  honey  is 
that  there  is  so  much  less  danger  of  damage  in  shipment.  Dark 
hone}?^  is,  as  a  rule,  much  more  salable  in  the  extracted  form. 
When  the  flow  is  light  but  constant,  and  of  long  duration,  as  in  Colo- 
rado, and  the  honey  is  white,  comb  honey  production  has  its  advan- 
tages, as  honey  is  worth  more  when  stored  in  sections  than  when 
taken  in  the  extracted  form. 

California  furnishes  the  most  immense  crops  of  hone}-  that  are 
any  where  produced,  but  they  are  entirely  dependent  upon  the  rain- 
fall that  comes  in  the  winter.  If  the  rains  fail  to  come,  the  bee- 
keeper knows  to  a  certainty  that,  not  only  will  there  be  no  surplus, 
but,  unless  the  proper  management  is  given,  his  colonies  will  perish 
from  starvation. 


28 


ADVANCKI)  liKK  CFLTUKE. 


fc-«.  * 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  29 

In  the  buckwheat  regfions  of  New  York,  not  much  dependence 
is  placed  ui)on  the  early  honey-flows  for  securing  a  surplus.  They 
enable  the  bees  to  breed  up,  and,  as  a  rule,  finish  their  swarminf^, 
before  the  buckwheat  opens,  when  the  main  crop  of  the  season  is 
gfathercd.  A  colon}-  so  weak  in  the  spring-  that  it  would  be  nearly 
useless  in  a  flow  from  clover  or  basswood,  has  abundant  time  in 
which  to  build  up  for  the  buckwheat  honey-harvest. 

Then,  again,  there  are  localities  near  swamps,  where  the  main 
flow  comes  verj-  late,  from  fall-flowers,  asters,  and  the  like.  The 
yield  is  often  very  abundant,  but  the  quality  is  undesirable  when 
used  for  winter-stores.  If  the  cold  confines  the  bees  for  several 
months  upon  such  stores,  they  are  almost  certain  to  perish.  The 
only  remedy-  is  to  extract  the  hone^-  and  feed  sugar  syrup;  unless  it 
might  be  that  of  brimstoning  the  bees  in  the  fall,  and  buying  more 
in  the  spring  from  some  other  locality,  a  course  which  has  been  fol- 
lowed successfully,  as  the  long  season  for  preparation  allows  of  the 
building  up  of  one  colonv  into  several. 

It  would  be  an  easy  matter  to  use  pages  in  giving  illustrations  of 
the  differences  in  localities,  but  it  is  unnecessary;  the  thing  for  the 
bee-keeper  to  remember  is  that  if  he  changes  his  locality  he  must 
leave  behind  him  many  of  his  old  notions  and  methods,  and  seek  the 
advice  of  his  new  neighbors  who  have  been  successful.  The  veteran 
bee-keeper  from  the  verdant  hills  of  old  Vermont  would  make  a  flat 
failure  were  he  to  bring  his  apiary  to  Colorado,  and  manage  it  the 
same  as  he  has  been  accustomed  to  doing.  A  bee-keeper  can  not 
know  his  locality-  too  thoroughly.  Some  men  succeed  in  localities 
where  the  majority-  fail,  and  one  reason  is  because  their  more 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  locality  enables  them  to  adopt  methods 
more  perfecth' adapted  to  the  peculiarities  of  that  location.  Above 
all  things,  knozu  your  locality. 


30  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE 


•est  StocSl  aiimdl  InlcD^yy  tt®  SecuEire  Itc 


Z>i  pvlHPyRPy  are  only  two  varieties  of  bees  worthy  of  consideration 
for  use  in  the  United  States;  in  fact,  they  are  about  the  only 
varieties  now  left  here  for  consideration,  and  they  are  the 
Italians  and  the  Germans,  or  blacks,  as  they  are  commonly 
called.  The  proliiic  Syrians  and  the  iierce,  irritable  Cyprians,  have 
practically  passed  away  on  this  side  of  the  waters.  These  varieties 
of  bees  are  very  prolific,  but  undue  jirolilicness  is  of  no  value—  it  is 
reall}^  objectionable  for  this  part  of  the  world.  If  ([ueens  cost  larj^e 
sums  of  money,  there  mig-ht  be  a  shade  of  reason  in  desirinj^  those 
that  are  prolific;  but,  to  the  practical  honey  producer,  they  cost 
almost  nothinfj;  and  by  using-  hives  that  are  not  too  large,  queens  of 
ordinary  prolificness  will  keei)  the  combs  sufficiently  filled  with 
brood.  The  great  ambition  of  these  varieties  seems  to  be  to  rear 
brood,  instead  of  to  store  honey.  Their  only  object  in  gathering 
honey  appears  to  be  that  it  may  be  used  in  rearing  brood.  They 
will  rear  brood  until  the  last  drop  of  honey  in  the  hive  is  used.  The 
Syrians  also  have  the  undesirable  trait  of  filling  the  cells  so  full  of 
honey,  and  capping  it  so  poorly,  as  to  give  it  a  dark,  watery  api>ear- 
ance,  which  is  very  objectionable  in  comb  hone^'  production. 

Carniolans  resemble  the  Syrians  and  Cyprians,  so  far  as  prolific- 
ness is  concerned,  but  are  very  gentle,  and  cap  their  honey  with  a 
whiteness  eijual  to  that  capped  by  the  blacks,  but  this  disposition  to 
expend  their  energies  in  breeding  and  swarming,  has  caused  them 
to  be  discarded  in  their  purity,  although  a  few  bee-keepers  still  pre- 
fer a  cross  between  them  and  the  Italians. 

In  this  matter  of  brood  rearing,  the  Italians  are  unexcelled. 
During  the  spring  months  they  push  breeding  with  wonderful 
rapidity;  but,  as  soon  as  the  main  honey  harvest  begins  in  earnest, 
breeding  is  greatly  reduced,  and   most  of  the  energy  turned  to  the 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  31 

gathering-  and  storing- of  honey.  It  might  be  safely  said  that  the 
Italians  are  the  standard  varietA-  of  this  country.  They  are  very 
gentle  in  disposition,  remaining  quietly  on  the  combs  when  being 
handled,  while  there  seems  to  be  about  them  a  peculiarly  quiet, 
steady,  energetic  determination  possessed  b^-  no  other  variety. 
Almost  any  variety  of  bees  will  do  fair  work  gathering  honej'  when 
it  is  plentiful  and  near  by,  but  when  the  flowers  j'ield  sparinglj-,  and 
must  be  sought  for  far  and  wide,  then  it  is  that  the  Italians  carry  off 
the  palm.  For  the  production  of  extracted  honey,  the  Italians  are 
probably  unexcelled,  but  in  producing  comb  honey  the  blacks  show 
two  points  of  superiority.  They  are  more  willing  to  store  their 
honey  in  the  supers  at  some  distance  from  the  brood,  and.  in  capping 
their  honey,  they  leave  a  small  space  between  the  honeyand  the  cap- 
ping, which  gives  to  the  comb  an  almost  snowy  whiteness.  The 
blacks  are  also  more  easily  driven  out  of  the  supers  with  smoke,  and 
more  readih"  shaken  from  the  combs.  They  are  very  irritable  while 
being  handled,  many  taking  wing,  and  others  running  about  upon 
the  combs,  gathering  in  bunches  and  dropping  off  upon  the  ground. 
For  the  production  of  comb  honey  there  is  probably  no  better  bee 
than  a  cross  between  the  Italians  and  the  blacks,  at  least,  so  far  as 
results  are  concerned.  They  are  energetic  workers,  willing  and 
ready  to  store  their  honey  in  the  supers,  but,  unfortunately,  they 
are  possessed  of  a  very  uneven  temper.  Either  variety,  black  or 
Italian,  in  its  purity,  is  easier  to  handle  than  is  a  cross  between 
them. 

Modern  bee  culture,  with  its  ''bait"  sections  of  partly  drawn 
combs,  or  the  putting  on  of  extracting  supers  at  the  opening  of  the 
season,  then  changing  them  for  sections  after  a  start  has  been  made, 
has  well-nigh  overcome  the  objection  of  the  Italians  clinging  to  the 
brood  nest,  while  much  can  be  done  b^'  selection  in  breeding  to  over- 
come the  trait  of  poor  capping.  In  brief,  if  I  were  to  engage  in  the 
production  of  either  comb  or  extracted  honey,  I  should  adopt  pure 
Italians;  then,  bj-  selection  in  breeding,  g-et  rid  of  the  undesirable 
traits,  such  as  "watery"  capping  of  the  honey,  inclination  to  build 
large  quantities  of  brace-combs,  undue  swarming,  etc.  Every  bee- 
keeper of  experience,  who  has  tried  different  strains  of  bees,  knows 
that  there  is  a  great  difference  between  different  strains  of  even  the 
same  variet}^  A  bee-keeper  who  is  just  starting  in  the  business,  or 
one  alread}-  in  the  business  who  has  not  taken  such  a  course,  ought 
to  get  queens  from  several  of  the  best  breeders,  then  adopt  some 
easily  kept  but  comprehensive  system  of  recording  the  traits  and 
peculiarities  of  each  colony.  The  card  system  which  has  been  so 
successfulh'   adopted  in  so   man3'  ways,  readily   lends  itself   to  this 


32 


ADVANCED  BP:E  CULTURE. 


use.  If  the  bees  of  any  colony  prove  vindictive,  re-<iueen  it.  If  the 
bees  of  another  colony  are  i)a;)r  comb  I>iiil(lers,  or  caj)  their  honey 
poorly,  destroy  the  (iiiei^n  and  jifive  them  another.  Do  the  same  if 
they  build  larjji-e  (juantities  of  "l)race-combs,"  or  if  they  are  unduly 
given  to  swarminjj:,  or  if  they  are  poor  honev  j^atherers,  or  do  not 
winter  well.  On  the  other  hand,  the  desirable  traits  should  be 
watched  for  and  recorded,  and  queens  reared  from  the  (lueens  of 
such  colonies.  Care  oujjht  also  to  be  taken  that  no  drones  are 
reared,  or  allowed  to  fly,  from  undesirable  stock,  and  pains  taken  to 
rear  them  in  gfoodly  numbers  from  the  best  stocks  in  the  apiary. 
By  pursuing  this  course,  the  bee-keeper  will  eventually  build  up  a 
strain  of  bees  that  will  be  peaceable,  hardy,  good  honey  gatherers, 
and  good  comb  builders.  Well-directed  efforts  at  improving  his 
stock,  carefully  watching  and  recording  the  traits  of  each  colony, 
getting  rid  of  poor  (|ueens  and  keeping  the  best,  perhaps  buying 
queens  occasionally  and  comparing  their  progeny  with  the  stock 
already  on  hand,  always  breeding  from  the  best,  such  a  course  as 
this  will  i)rove  the  most  i)rofitable  of  any  which  a  bee-keeper  can 
pursue.     The  wonder  is  that  it  is  so  grt-atl\  neglected. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  33 


Tlie  Clhiolc©  ©IF  b>  Hive, 


ARLY  in  every  bee-keeper's  life  must  come  the  choice  of  a 
hive — and  a  perplexing  question  it  often  proves.  Probably 
there  is  no  "best  hive"  for  all  persons,  locations  and  uses; 
in  fact,  a  choice  is  usuallj^  more  or  less  of  a  compromise; 
the  relinquishinff  of  certain  advantages  for  the  sake  of  securing 
others  considered  more  desirable.  The  tastes  of  a  bee-keeper,  his 
system  of  management,  thejcind  of  honey  produced,  the  method  of 
wintering,  the  location,  etc.,  all  have  a  bearing  upon  the  kind  of  hive 
that  is  most  desirable;  but  the  inducements  must  be  great,  indeed, 
that  would  lead  a  man  to  adopt  an  ocfd  sized  hive  or  frame.  As  to 
size  of  frame,  it  is  probable  that  the  Langstroth  is  the  most  widely 
used,  is  well-adapted  to  the  production  of  both  comb  and  extracted 
hone}',  and  its  choice  cannot  be  a  serious  mistake.  With  the  choice 
of  a  frame,  a  decided  step  has  been  taken  towards  the  choice  of  a 
hive;  in  fact,  the  most  important  question  left  to  be  settled,  is  the 
number  of  frames  to  be  used  in  the  hive.  In  those  parts  of  the 
country  blessed  with  along  hone^^-flow,  or  if  extracted  honey  is  to 
be  produced,  hives  holding  10  Langstroth  frames  are  desirable.  If 
bees  are  to  be  managed  in  out-apiaries,  or  upon  any  plan  where  thej^ 
are  not  to  receive  close  and  constant  attention,  large  hives  possess 
the  advantage  of  containing  sufficient  stores  to  avoid  danger  from 
the  bees  starving  in  times  of  scarcity.  The  argument  sometimes 
used  in  favor  of  large  hives,  that  they  give  the  queens  more  room  to 
lais  is  decidedh'  fallacious.  We  do  not  keep  queens  simply  to  "give 
them  a  chance  to  la3%"  but  to  secure  the  prompt  and  thorough  tilling 
of  the  brood-combs  with  eggs,  and  this  is  more  sureh^  accomplished 
b}'  using  a  hive  of  moderate  si/,e,  one  below  rather  than  above  the 
laying  capacity  of  the  average  queen.  It  is  true  that  larger  yields 
per  colony  may  be  secured  with  large  hives,  but  not  any  larger  yields 


34 


ADVANCED  IJKK  CULTURE. 


per  comb.  Where  the  honey-flow  is  short,  or  comb  honey  is  pro- 
duced, a  smaller  hive,  one  holding-  only  eight  Langstroth  combs,  has 
its  advantages. 

The  hive  body  for  holding  the  frames  need  be  nothing  more  than 
simply  a  box,  with  plain,  square  corners,  without  top  or  bottom, 
having  rabbets  on  the  upper,  inner  edg-es  of  the  end-pieces,  for  sup- 
porting the  frames.  If  a  hive  is  nailed  up  with  the  heart  side  of  the 
lumber  out,  it  is  less  inclined  to  warp.  A  plain,  simple  board, 
cleated  at  each  end,  upon  the  under  side,  to  prevent  warping,  with 
half-inch  strips  nailed  along  the  two  sides  and  back  end,  upon  its 
upper  surface,  to  support  tln'  lii\c,  i^  thr  iMiual  of  any  bottom-board. 


<MiJMI»^.«».'t,.JM.-_-       ;j:..j^v 


A  "Dirt  Cheap"  Bottom-Board. 

It  ma_\  not  be  amiss  to  say  that  hives  may  be  used  with  no  bol/oiii- 
hoard  except  the  carlh.  ^Phe  hive  sits  upon  a  rim  made  of  rough, 
cheap.lumber,  an  entrance  being  furnished  by  making  the  front,  end- 
piece  of  the  rim  an  inch  narrower,  and  tlie  rim  lllled  with  earth  or 
sawdust  to  within  an  inch  of  the  top.  At  lirst  thought  this  seems 
like  a  very  rough,  primitive  affair,  as  thougli  using  simply  the  earth 
for  a  bottom-board  would  not  answer,  but  it  is  diflicult  to  say  zchy. 

A  coyer  after  the  same  style,  sim])ly  a  plain  hoard  cleated  at  the 
ends  to  prevent  warping,  is  a  model  of  simplicity  and  desirability. 
If  it  is  difficult  to  obtain  boards  wide  enough  for  covers,  they  may  be 
pieced,  even  made  of    narrow  strips,  then  the  upper  surface  covered 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  35 

with  a  piece  of  muslin  while  the  paint  is  fresh,  and  another  coat  of 
paint  applied  over  the  muslin.  If  kept  properly  painted,  such  covers 
will  not  leak. 

Much  has  been  written  about  staples  and  projections  on  frames 
to  make  them  self-spacing,  but  the  objections  greatly  overshadow 
the  advantages,  which  are  that  all  the  frames  are  kept  at  exactly  the 
same  distance  apart;  in  closing  up  the  hive,  or  rather,  in  arranging 
the  frames  preparator\-  to  closing  the  hive,  the}-  can  all  be  shoved 
over  in  a  body,  by  pressing  against  the  outside  one,  and  if  the  hives 
are  to  be  moved,  as  from  one  apiary  to  another,  the  frames  are  held 
in  position  without  any  additional  fastening.  The  moving  of  colo- 
nies from  one  location  to  another  is  something  that  occurs  only  occa- 
sionally', in  many  cases  not  at  all,  and  it  is  better  to  specially  fasten 
all  of  the  frames  once,  or  even  twice,  a  year,  should  it  become  neces- 
sary, than  to  be  continually  annoyed  by  objectionable  attachments. 
In  closing  up  a  hive  there  is  some  advantage  in  being  able  to  shove 
the  frames  over  without  taking  up  any  time  in  spacing  them,  but,  so 
far  as  exactness  is  concerned,  there  is  no  necessity  for  self-spacing 
devices;  as  the  combs  may  vary  from  1'4  to  I'a  inches  from  center 
to  center,  without  an}'  serious  results.  The  e^-e  and  hand  ver\' soon 
become  trained  to  sufficient  exactness  in  the  matter  of  spacing. 
The  most  serious  objection  to  self-spacing  is  that  it  destroys  the 
most  valuable  feature  of  hanging  frames — the  lateral  movement. 
If  frames  hang  free,  it  is  an  eas\'  matter  to  press  one  over  one  way. 
and  another  the  other  way,  and  then  lift  out  the  one  that  hung  be- 
tween them.  Self-spacing  prevents  this.  Before  self-spaced  frames 
can  be  moved,  a  division  board,  or  "dummy,"  must  be  pulled  out  at 
one  side  of  the  hive,  and  sometimes  this  board  is  glued  fast  and  more 
difficult  to  remove  than  would  be  an  ordinary  comb.  Another  ob- 
jection to  staples,  or  other  metal  attachments,  is  that  the  hone}' 
knife  is  likely  to  strike  them,  and  be  dulled,  when  the  honey  is  being 
uncapped;  and  they  also  give  trouble  by  catching  in  the  wire  cloth 
forming  the  reel  of  the  extractor.  A  few  men  have  tried  and  been 
pleased  with  the  plan  of  supporting  frames  upon  nails  driven  into  the 
centers  of  the  ends  of  the  top-bars.  To  illustrate:  Take  anordinary 
Langstroth  frame,  saw  off  the  projecting  ends  of  the  top-bar,  then, 
into  the  center  of  each  end  of  the  top-bar  drive  a  six-penny  nail  at 
such  a  point  that  its  lower  side  will  occupy  exactly  the  same  point  as 
the  lower  side  of  the  wooden  projection  occupied  before  it  was  sawed 
off.  The  nail  is,  of  course,  driven  in  until  it  projects  exactly  as  far 
as  the  former  wooden  projection  extended  beyond  the  end-bar. 
These  nail-supporters  may  be  used  either  with  or  without  metal 
rabbets.     In  either  case  the  points  of  contact  are  so  slight  that  there 


36  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

is  little  opportunity  for  jrluinj^:  tlu'in  fast,  and  the  frames  can  always 
be  loosened  with  the  finjre'rs. 

Closed-end  frames,  in  common  with  other  styles  of  self-spaced 
frames,  possess  the  advanta.ye  that  they  need  no  fastening;-  when  the 
hives  are  moved  from  one  part  of  the  country  to  another,  but,  aside 
from  this,  the  advantages  are  all  with  the  loose,  or  hanging-,  free- 
swinging:  frame. 

A  divisible-brood-chamber  hive,  one  having  two  sets  of  shallow 
frames,  thus  allowing  the  hive  to  be  divided  horizontally,  possesses 
some  advantages.  For  instance,  at  the  beginning  of  the  season  it  is 
desirable  to  induce  the  bees  to  spread  out  and  fill  their  combs  as 
completely  as  possible  with  brood,  and  by  di\iding  the  brood  nest 
horizontally,  transposing  the  sections,  jilacing  the  lower  one  above 
and  the  upper  one  below,  we  bring  together,  in  the  center  of  the 
hive,  the  outside,  or  spherical  portions  of  the  brood-nest,  \\  hile  the 
broad,  center-surfaces  are  thrown  to  the  outside.  In  their  efforts  to 
bring  the  brood-nest  back  to  a  spherical  shape,  the  bees  remove  the 
honev^  from  the  center  of  the  hive  and  replace  it  with  brood,  thereby 
increasing  the  amount  of  the  latter.  The  transposition  of  the  two 
sections  of  the  brood-nest  also  throws  a  large  surface  of  brood  up 
close  to  the  supers  which  greatly  hastens  the  beginning  of  work  in 
the  sections. 

The  use  of  this  style  of  hive  also  allows  of  contraction  of  the 
the  brood  nest  without  reducing  the  supering  surface,  or  the  bring- 
ing in  of  "dummies,"  as  must  be  done  with  other  styles  of  hive. 
Divisible-brood-chamber  hives  cost  considerably  more  than  other 
styles  of  hives,  and,  after  using  them  for  years  by  the  side  of  the 
ordinary  Langstroth  hive,  seeing  them  used  by  other  i>ersons  in  dif- 
ferent locations,  and  considering  the  new  features  that  have  recently 
sj^rung  up  in  bee-keei^ing,  I  have  gradually  come  to  the  decision  that 
if  I  were  now  starting  in  the  bee  business,  I  should  not  use  the  hori- 
zontalh-divisible  hive.  In  my  oi)inion,  its  greatest  point  of  sujieri- 
ority  is  in  i)racticing  contraction  of  the  brood-nest;  Ijut  so  far  as 
handling  frames  is  concerned,  there  is  no  frame  that  approaches  the 
plain,  all-wood,  hanging  frame,  and,  in  managing  out-apiaries,  in 
which  case  there  is  not  time  for  using  the  bee-escai)e,  this  is  a  most 
decided  advantage. 

In  northern  climates,  l>ees  need  more  i)rotection  in  \\  inter  than 
is  afforded  by  a  single-wall  hive.  In  Michigan  this  is  best  afforded 
by  a  cellar;  further  south,  some  kind  of  padding  is  i)robal)ly  i)refer- 
able.  Whether  this  packing  shall  be  in  the  shape  of  the  so-called 
chaff  hive,  or  in  something  of  a  temi)()rar\  nature  that  can  be  re- 
moved in    summer,  is  a  i)oint  upon    which  bee-keepers  differ.     It    is 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


37 


true  that  temporar}^  packing;  calls  for  extra  labor  (but  it  does  not 
come  at  a  hurrying-  time  of  the  year),  and  there  7i'(is  a  time  when  it 
also  resulted  in  some  untidiness  and  unsig^htliness  in  the  apiary  dur- 
ing: the  winter,  but  the  neat  outer  case  and  improved  methods  of 
packing-  that  are  now  being-  adopted,  have  removed  the  latter  objec- 
tion, and  greatly  reduced  the  former.  These  methods  of  temporary 
packing-  are  cheaper  than  the  chaff  hives,  while  the  advantag-e  of 
having-  ligfht,  sing-le-walled  hives  during-  the  working-  season,  hives 
that  can  be  picked  up,  handled,  manipulated,  tiered-up,  carried,  if 
advisable,  to  a  distant  or  more  desirable  location — hives,  in  short, 
that  can  be  handled  in  a  way  that  means  business — all  these  advan- 
tag-es  are  so  g-reat  that  I  should  never  think  of  adopting-  the  chaff 
hive.  I  know  there  are  methods  of  manag-ement  in  which  the  un- 
wieldy, stand-still  character  of  the  chaff  hive  proves  no  obstacle;  but 
such   methods  are  not  the  most  expeditious. 

In  brief,  my  choice  of  a  hive  for  Michigan  is  a  simple,  plain  box 
with  plain,  all-wood  hang-ing-  frames — and  I  would  wdnter  the  bees  in 
the  cellar. 


i)ivisibi.i;-bkood-chambi;k  hive. 


ADVANCED  BEK  CULTURE. 


WITH  the  majority  of  frames  in  use,  bees  build  little  bits  of 
combs  between  the  top  bars  of  the  frames,  and,  extend- 
injjf  the  combs  upwards,  connect  them  with  the  cover  of 
the  hive,  or  the  bottom  of  a  case  of  sections,  or  whatever 
is  next  above  the  tops  of  the  frames.  These  little  bits 
of  combs  are  called  brace  com1)s  or  burr  combs.  It  is 
very  unpleasant,  unprofitable  and  untidy  to  lift  off  a  case 
of  sections,  and,  in  so  doin<>-,  pull  apart  a  net  work  of 
combs  that  connect  the  bottoms  of  the  sections  with  the 
tops  of  the  brood  frames.  The  honey  drips  and  daubs 
about  and  attracts  robbers,  if  there  are  any  to  be  at- 
tracted. The  bits  of  combs  must  be  sd'aju'd  from  the 
bottoms  of  the  sections,  and  the  muss  cleaned  up  as  best 
it  may. 

The  bee-keepin>i-  fraternity  is,  I  believe,  indebted  to 
Mr.  James  Ileddon  for  the  modern  honey  board,  which 
practically  does  away  with  all  of  this  trouble  from  braci-  combs. 
This  honey  board  is  simply  a  seriesof  slats  fastened  to  a  frame  as 
larjjre  as  the  top  of  the  hive,  and  i)laced  over  the  brood  nest.  These 
slats  are  about  S-K)  of  an  inch  thick,  placed  -^-i  of  an  inch  apart,  and 
of  such  width  and  so  arran«,'-ed  that  each  opening-  between  them 
comes  exactly  over  the  center  of  the  top  bar  of  a  brood  frame  below. 
In  other  words,  the  slats  break  joints  Nvith  the  top  bars  of  the  frames 
below. 

As  the  tops  of  the  frames  are  'h  of  an  inch  below  the  level  of  the 
top  of  the  hive,  there  is  a  -^n-inch  space  between  the  tops  of  the  frames 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


39 


and  the  bottom  of  the  honey  board.  The  outside  rim  or  frame-work 
of  the  honey  board  is  -^8  of  an  inch  thicker  than  the  slats,  thus  the 
surplus  case  is  raised  -^s  of  an  inch  above  the  slats  of  the  honey 
board.  In  short,  the  honey  board  is  a  series  of  slats,  3«  of  an  inch 
apart,  placed  between  the  brood  nest  and  the  supers,  with  a  "bee 
space"  both  above  and  below  the  slats.  In  the  space  below,  between 
the  slats  and  the  brood  nest,  the  bees  build  brace  combs  /usi  the 
same  (IS  i'Z'er,  but,  for  S(>;//r  reason,  the  space  above  is  almost  always 
left  free  from  the  disag-reeable  brace  combs.  A  case  of  sections  can 
be  lifted  off  as  clean  and  free  from  daub  as  when  first  placed  upon 
the  hive. 

There  have  been  more  or  less  successful  attempts  to  do  away 
with  the  necessity  for  a  honey  board  by  using-  wide,  deep  top  bars, 
aeritra/ely  spaeed;  and  while  such  an  arrangement  does  away  with  a 
large  share  of  the  burr  comb  nuisance,  I  have  yet  to  see  a  case  in 
which  there  was  not  enoug-h  of  it  left  to  warrant  the  use  of  a  honey 
board. 

A  slatted  honey  board 
is  easil}'  made  queen  ex- 
cluding by  simply  cutting- 
saw  kerfs  in  the  edg-es  of 
the  slats,  and  slipping  strips 
of  perforated  metal  into  the 
kerfs  between  the  slats. 
Whole  sheets  of  zinc  have 
been  used  as  honey  boards, 
but  they  are  lacking-  in  rig- 
idity. They  are  likely  to 
sag,  bend   or   kink,  thus  de-  ^''®''"  Excluding  Honey  Board. 

stroying  the  perfection  of  the  bee  spaces.  If  a  sheet  sag-s,  the  space 
above  becomes  so  large  that  there  is  a  likelihood  of  comb  being-  built 
therein;  while  the  space  below  becomes  so  small  that  propolis  is 
placed  between  the  zinc  and  the  tops  of  the  brood  frames.  The 
wood-zinc  honey  board  is  free  from  this  defect. 

In  the  production  of  comb  honey  there  is  little  need  for  a  (lueen 
excluder  over  an  old,  established  colony;  but  when  a  swarm  is  hived 
in  a  contracted  brood  chamber  having-  starters  only  in  the  frames, 
and  given  the  supers  of  partly  finished  sections  from  the  old  hive,  a 
(|ueen  excluder  is  almost  a  necessity.  The  queen,  finding-  no  combs 
in  the  brood  nest,  at  once' invades  the  sections,  where  the  bees  soon 
clear  out  some  of  the  cells  for  her  to  lay  in,  and,  having  begun  her 
brood  nest  there,  she  is  quite  likely  to  remain  there  until  consider- 
able comb  has  been  built  below. 


40 


ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURi:. 


In  the  production  of  extracted  honey,  ijueen  excluders  are  a 
g:reat  convenience,  if  not  a  necessity.  If  they  are  not  used,  the 
brood  is  almost  certain  to  be  scattered  through  the  supers,  or  upper 
stories;  and  ripe  honey,  ripe  as  it  ought  to  be  when  it  is  extracted, 
cannot  be  thrown  from  the  combs  very  rapidly  or  completely,  with- 
out at  the  same  time  throwing  out  the  brood.  If  brood  is  found  in 
the  upper  story,  it  is,  of  course,  sometimes  possible  to  exchange 
such  combs  for  the  outside  combs  in  the  brood  nest,  if  such  can  be 
found  without  brood,  but  all  this  takes  time.  To  successfully  con- 
duct an  apiary,  the  fixtures  and  methods  should  be  such  that  the 
work  will  move  along  smoothly,  and  in  a  systematic  manner,  with- 
out any  "hitches." 

There  is  also  another  point  to  be  considered  in  connection  with 
the  use  of  queen  excluders  when  producing  extracted  honey,  and 
that  is  the  freeing  of  the  supers  of  bees  by  the  use  of  bee  escapes. 
If  the  super  contains  brood  and,  perhaps,  the  (jueen,  the  bees  could 
not  be  induced  to  desert  bj'  the  use  of  an  escape.  If  the\'  did  leave 
the  brood,  then  something  would  have  to  be  done  with  the  brood,  as 
already  mentioned.  In  short,  advanced  bee  culture  has  divided  the 
hive  into  two  distinct  apartments — brood  and  surplus — and  unless 
this  division  can  be  maintained,  many  i)roritable  plans  must  be  re- 
linquished. The  (jueen  excluding  honey  board  enables  the  bee- 
keeper to  thus  set  a  boundary,  beyond  which  tlie  brood  can  not  go. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  41 


"^^^^OR  making-  sections,  basswood  is  used  to  a  greater  extent 
==^  than  any  other  wood.  It  is  the  whitest,  readily  obtainable 
in  manj-  parts  of  the  country,  while  it  possesses  the  elas- 
ticity needed  in  the  one-piece  section.  Its  faults  are  that  it 
shrinks  and  swells  badly,  becomes  mildewed  and  discolored  very 
easily,  and  any  honey  dropped  upon  it  soaks  in  and  leaves  a  stain. 
White  poplar  is  the  best  wood  for  sections.  It  is  whiter  than  bass- 
wood,  very  hard,  does  not  shrink  or  swell  readilv,  and  is  not  stained 
bj"  contact  with  honey,  or  easily-  soiled  by  handling-;  but  it  lacks  the 
elasticity  necessarian  the  one-piece  section.  There  are  no  hand- 
somer nor  better  sections  made  than  the  four-piece,  white  poplar, 
and  the  onh-  valid  objections  that  can  be  brought  ag-ainst  them  are 
that  they  cost  more  and  that  more  time  is  required  in  putting-  them 
tog-ether,  I  am  aware  that  I  am  alwaj^s  pleading-  for  time-saving- 
fixtures,  but  there  must  be  a  distinction  made  between  the  hurry 
and  bustle  of  swarming--time  and  the  leisure  of  a  winter's  evening-; 
or  between  the  time  of  an  experienced  apiarist  and  that  of  some  bo}- 
or  girl  who  can  put  tog-ether  sections.  The  objections  to  the  one- 
piece  sections  are  that  they  can  not  be  made  of  the  most  desirable 
wood;  that,  as  usualh'  made,  they  do  not  remain  square  when  folded; 
and  that  they  are  made  with  "naughty"  corners  which  g-oug-e  into 
the  honey  when  crating-  it  or  removing-  it  from  the  crate.  When 
separators  are  used,  the  latter  objection  is  removed.  The  reason 
why  the  so-called  "naug-htj^"  corner  is  always  found  upon  the  one- 
piece,  bee-way  section  is  because  the  opening's  in  the  top  and  bottom 
bars  can  not  be  cut  clear  through  to  the  side  bars,  as   the  small  lilm 


42  ADVANCED  BKK  CULTURE. 

of  wood  left  to  hold  top  .ind  side  bar  tojirether  is  then  more  likely  to 
l)reak.  When  the  openinj^  extends  clear  across,  as  in  the  four-piece 
section,  tlic  combs  are  more  completely  built  out  and  attached  to  the 
top  and  bottom  bars.  The  top  and  bottom  bars  of  sections  oug-ht  to 
be  -^H  of  an  inch  narrower  than  the  side-bars.  Usually,  the  top  and 
bottom  bars  of  sections  are  too  wide,  leaying-  too  narrow  openings  be- 
tween them.  To  put  the  matter  in  a  few  words,  the  one-piece, 
althouj^h  possessinjif  some  faults,  is  cheaper  and  can  be  put  tog-ether 
quicker  than  the  four-piece,  which  costs  more,  but  \s  /'((/////rss. 

There  is  also  another  point  that  is  coming  rapidly  to  the  front, 
and  that  is  the  scarcity  of  basswood  timber.  Possibly  the  same  may 
be  true  of  white  poplar,  but  there  are  other  white  woods,  hard  maple, 
for  instance,  from  which  four-piece  sections  can  be  made. 

The  standard  size  of  sections  is  4>4  x  4X  inches;  at  least,  this 
has  been  the  standard  for  manj'  years,  and  I  think  is  yet,  but  there 
is  considerable  effort  to  place  upon  the  market,  and  secure  the 
adoption,  of  a  tall  section — about  4x5  inches.  Its  chief  adyantage  is 
in  being  more  pleasing  to  the  eye — possibly  in  conveying  the  im- 
]M-ession  that  it  contains  more  honey  than  a  square  form  having  the 
same  amount  of  surface.  Our  windows,  our  books,  our  pictures,  etc., 
are  made  oblong  instead  of  s(|uare,  because  they  are  more  pleasing 
to  the  eye,  and,  for  the  same  reason,  a  tall  section  presents  a  more 
pleasing  appearance  than  a  square  one,  but  I  do  not  consider  this 
point  of  sufficient  imiiortance  to  warrant  a  bee-keeper  in  changing 
his  fixtures  in  order  that  he  may  use  the  tall  section. 

Thus  far,  in  this  chapter,  we  have  been  considi'ring  what  are 
called  "bee-wav"  sections,  tho-;e  in  which  the  bees  gfain  access  to 
them  through  insets,  or  "bee-ways,"'  cut  in  the  toj)  and  bottom  bars 
of  the  sections,  but,  of  late,  there  has  been  introduced  a  new  style, 
called  the  "plain"  section,  in  which  there  are  no  insets,  it  being-  the 
same  width  all  the  way  around.  Sections  of  this  style  are  held  bee- 
space  apart,  and  the  bees  admitted,  by  the  use  of  what  are  termed 
"fence"  separators,  from  thi'ir  resemblance  to  a  board  fence.  A 
fence  separator  is  formed  of  slats  about  's  of  an  inch  in  thickness, 
held  a  bee-space  apart  by  cleats  glued,  or  nailed,  in  an  ui)right 
position  to  their  sides,  'l^hese  cleats,  or  posts,  are  of  such  a  thick- 
ness, and  placed  at  such  a  distance  apart,  upon  each  side  of  the 
separator,  that  the  edges  of  the  side  bars  to  the  sections  come 
against  them,  and  are  thus  held  out  bee-si)ace  from  the  slats. 

The  principal  advantage  of  i)lain  sections  and  fence-separators 
is  that  the  freer  communication  thus  allowed  the  bees  induces  them, 
from  some  reason,  to  build  out  the  combs  fuller  ai'ound  the  edgfes 
and  corners,  and  attach  them  more  perfectly  to  the  sections.     This 


ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURE. 


(T) 


■D 


■^ 


44  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

jjfives  the  finished  product  a  more  attractive  appearance,  and  <>-reatly 
lessens  the  danj^fer  of  breakajife  in  shipment.  Another  ])oint, 
althoii<,'-h  it  may  be  a  minor  one.  is  that  a  plain  section  is  filled  IuIUt 
of  honey;  that  is,  the  edjifes  of  the  wood  do  not  stand  out  so  far  above 
the  surface  of  the  comb  as  they  do  in  the  bee-waj'  sections.  A  filled 
idain  section  has  a  plumi)er  look  than  a  bee-waj'  section,  the  latter 
having:  the  appearance  of  being-  only  partly  filled,  A  tall,  plain  sec- 
tion may  not  contain  any  more  honey  than  a  scjuare  section  of  the 
bee-way  type,  but  it  (/p/>C(f/:<  to  contain  more,  and  has,  withal,  a  more 
attractive  appearance.  There  is  still  another  little  point,  and  that  is 
that  a  plain  section  offers  special  advantages  in  the  matter  of  clean- 
ing it  of  propolis,  as  there  is  no  inset  to  work  into  with  the  scraping 
knife.  I  do  not,  however,  consider  the  advantages  of  the  plain  sec- 
tion sufficient  to  warrant  any  expensive  change  of  fixtures  in  order 
that  it  may  be  adoi)ted. 

While  I  have  produced  tons  of  comb  honey  \\ithout  the  use  of 
separators,  and  could  do  it  again  in  this  locality,  I  think  I  should  use 
them  were  I  ag^ain  to  engage  in  comb  honey  production;  I  know  of 
no  objection  to  their  use,  except  that  of  cost,  and  I  certainly  would 
advise  their  use  bj'  the  great  mass  of  bee-keepers.  In  many  locali- 
ties there  are  bee-keepers  who  can,  without  separators,  produce  sec- 
tions of  honey  that  are  tolerably  perfect,  straig-ht  enough  to  be 
crated  with  a  little  care,  but  there  is  another  end  to  the  business  — 
that  of  the  retailer  and  his  clumsy  clerks  who  are  not  bee-keei>ers. 
Nothing  discourages  and  disgfusts  a  retailer  more  than  a  lot  of 
dauby,  dripping,  damaged  sections. 

Perhaps  I  am  a  trifle  old-fashionrd  in  some  respects,  and  one, is 
that  if  I  were  to  adopt  the  old-style,  bee-way  section,  I  should  also 
adopt  wide  frames  and  tin  separators.  I  may  be  notional,  but  the 
so-called  section  holders  (wide  frami's  minus  top  bars)  seem  like  an 
incomplete  affair  to  me.  When  a  wide  frame  is  used  the  sections  are 
protected  on  all  sides,  and  come  off"  the  hive  in  all  their  \irgin  white- 
ness. By  the  addition  of  a  top  bar,  thus  making  a  \\\dc  / n/zj/f,  a  tin 
separator  can  be  used,  when  fussing;  with  separators  ^  by  their 
breaking  and  sjilitting)  is  done  with  for  all  time.  To  my  mind, 
wide  frames  with  tin  separators  furnish  the  most  perfect  method  of 
adjusting  bee-way  sections  on  the  hive;  and,  before  closing,  let  me 
tell  how  to  put  the  tins  on  in  such  a  manner  that  they  remain  taut. 
Nail  two  blocks  of  wood  upon  the  top  of  the  work"  bench  at  such  a 
distance  apart  that  the  top  and  bottom  bars  of  a  wide  frame  (  after  it 
has  been  put  together)  can  just  be  "sprung"  in  between  the  blocks. 
^I^his  shortens  the  distanci'  bi-tween  tin-  end  bars.  While  held  in 
this  position,  nail  on  thr  si])arator.     Upon  removing  the  frame  from 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


45 


between  the  blocks,  the  top  and  bottom  bars  will  straighten  out,  and 
in  so  doinj::,  draw  the  tin  as  taut  as  a  drum  head. 

If  a  man  can  succeed,  to  his  satisfaction,  in  producing-  comb 
honey  without  separators,  then  I  know  of  no  more  desirable  super 
than  the  old-st^'le  Heddon.  This  is  a  box,  without  top  or  bottom, 
the  size  of  the  top  of  the  hive,  and  a  bee-space  taller  than  the  height 
of  the  sections,  having  upright,  wooden  divisions,  as  wide  as  the  sec- 
tions are  tall,  put  in  crosswise  of  the  case  and  at  such  a  distance 
apart  that  a  row  of  sections  will  just  nicely  slip  down  between. 
Flat  against  the  lower  edge  of  each  division  is  nailed  a  strip  of  tin 
1-4  inch  wider  than  the  partition  is  thick.  The  edges  of  the  tin,  pro- 
jecting out  ^8  of  an  inch,  on  each  side,  be^'ond  the  sides  of  the  divis- 
ion boards,  afford  a  support  for  the  sections.  I  have  used  hun- 
dreds of  these  supers  for  years;  in  fact,  produced  nearly  all  of  my 
comb  honey  in  them,  and,  if  a  man  prefers  the  old  style,  bee-way 
sections,  and  does  not  care  to  use  separators,  this  super  is  simph' 
.perfection. 

To  sum  up  this  chapter  in  a  few  words,  m^^  preference  is  for  a 
tall,  plain,  four-piece  section  of  white  poplar,  used  with  fence 
separators. 


46 


ADVANCED  BKP:  CULTURE. 


AirrsiiniMeinnieinit  ©f  Msves  Siimc 


Dininia 


N   a  small  apiary,  the  matter  of   arran«::ement  is  not  of   j^reat  im- 
portance, but  as  the  number  of  colonies  be<i;ins  to  approach  100, 
the  (juestion  of  arranj^-ement    becomes  one  of   considerable  im- 
l)ortance.     Two  thinj,»'s  need  consideration:   the  convenience  of 
the  operator,  and  the  jjfivinjjf  of  such  an  individuality  to  each  hive  that 
each  bee  can  readily  distin.iiuish  its  home. 

Before  discussinj^'  these  points,  it  mi«jfht  be  well  to  say  a  few 
words  about  the  location  of  the  apiary.  First,  it  ouj^ht  to  be  some 
distance  from  the  hi.iihway.  What  that  distance  should  be,  depends 
upon  what  there  is  between  the  l)ees  and  the  street.  If  there  are 
buildiniis  or  trees,  or  even  a  ///.4'7/  fence,  the  bees  may  be  ijuite  near 
the  road;  as,  in  their  ni.ii:ht,  they  rise  above  these  obstructions,  and 
thus  fly  over  the  heads  of  the  passersby.  If  there  is  nt)thin.!jf  between 
the  apiary  and  the  hij^-hway,  the  apiary  ou*2fht  not  to  be  nearer  the 
street  than  ten  rods,  and  lifteen  or  twenty  rods  would  be  better.  It  is 
possible  with  a  small  apiary  to  avoid  trouble  even  if  it  is  located  near 
the  street.  When  it  is  necessary  to  handle  the  bees  when  no  honey 
is  comin^i'  in,  and  such  handlin.y"  is  likely  to  irritate  them,  the  work 
can  l)e  done  just  before  dark,  when  the  bees  will  not  tly  far  from 
their  hives;  but  in  a  larj^'e  ai^iary  there  is  too  much  work  that  must 
be  done  when  the  bees  may  not  be  in  an  amiable  mood,  to  enable  the 
operator  to  perform  it  durinyf  the  twilitjfht  of  evenin.n-.  If  necessarjs 
the  bee-keeper  can  protect  himself  with  a  veil,  and,  armed  with  a 
smoker,  he  can  yo  on  with  the  \vorl<,  e\en  if  the  bees  are  a  little 
"cross, "but  the  apiary  mus^  be  isolated. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  47 

Nearly  level  ground  is  preferiible  in  an  apiary.  If  it  slopes 
gently  to  the  south  or  east,  so  much  the  better.  It  should  never  be 
in  such  a  location  that  the  water  will  stand  upon  the  ground. 

I  have  tried  placing  the  honey  house  in  the  center  of  the  apiary, 
and  having  the  hives  in  long  double  rows  that  radiated  from  the  honey 
house  as  the  spokes  in  a  wheel  radiate  from  the  hub.  In  each  double 
row  a  space  large  enough  for  a  wheel  barrow  is  left  between  the 
hives,  and  the  entrances  of  the  hives  are  turned  away  from  the  path 
left  for  the  operator  and  his  wheel  barrow.  So  far  as  reducing  the 
labor  of  going  to  and  from  the  hives  is  concerned,  this  arrangement 
is  excellent,  but  it  has  the  quite  serious  objection  that  only  part  of 
the  apiary  can  be  seen  at  one  glance  from  the  honey  house.  In 
watching  for  swarms  it  is  necessary  to  look  in  four  different  direc- 
tions in  order  to  ascertain  if  a  swarm  is  out.  When  the  house  is  at 
one  side  of  the  yard,  the  whole  apiary  can  be  taken  in  at  a  glance. 
Other  things  being  equal,  the  south  side  of  the  apiary  is  preferable 
for  the  house.  In  looking  for  swarms  the  bee-keeper  does  not  look 
towards  the  sun,  but  has  the  clear  northern  sky  for  a  back  ground, 
while  the  shady  side  of  the  building,  which  will  be  naturally  sought 
b}^  the  tired  bee-keeper  as  the  best  spot  in  which  to  take  a  breathing 
spell,  is  towards  the  apiary. 

Most  bee-keepers  are  in  favor  of  having  the  building  two  stories 
high,  using  the  upper  story  as  a  store-room  for  hives  and  fixtures, 
the  lower  story  for  work  shop  and  honey  room,  the  latter  being  par- 
titioned off  by  itself,  and  the  cellar  under  the  building  for  wintering 
the  bees.  The  usual  mistake  in  making  such  buildings  is  in  not 
having  them  large  enough.  The  honey  room  ought  to  be  located  in 
a  southern  corner  of  the  building,  and  the  walls  made  of  some 
non-conductor  of  heat.  Some  even  paint  the  side  of  the  building  a 
dark  color  where  it  comes  over  the  honey  room,  in  order  that  as 
much  as  possible  of  the  sun's  heat  may  be  absorbed.  The  idea  is 
that  the  honey  must  be  kept  as  warm  as  possible.  If  there  is  any 
unsealed  or  unripe  honey,  this  high  temperature  causes  evaporation 
and  improvement.  By  keeping  such  a  room  warm  with  a  stove  in 
winter,  comb  honey  has  been  kept  over  until  another  year,  and 
actually  improved  by  the  keeping. 

But,  to  return  to  the  arrangement  of  hives.  When  the  honey 
house  is  at  one  side  of  the  apiary,  the  hives  may  still  be  arranged 
upon  the  radiating  plan,  by  having  the  rows  radiate  from  the  honey 
house  door,  thus  forming  one-half  of  a  large  wheel,  instead  of  the 
whole  of  a  smaller  one,  as  in  the  case  of  having  the  hone^^  house 
in  the  center.  When  the  radiating  rows  are  very  long,  they  become 
far  apartjat  the  outer  ends,  or  else  very   close  together  at  the   inner 


48 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ends.     To  remedy  this,  shorter  rows,  or  ''spurs,"  may  be  put  in  be- 
tween the  lonjr  rows  at  their  outer  ends. 

Another  arrangement  is  that  of  placing  the  hives  in  a  hexagonal 
manner,  each  hive  being  the  center  of  six  others.  This  is  a  pleasing 
arrangement  to  the  eye,  but  it  has  been  reported  that  the  massing  of 
the  hives  in  such  a  regular  manner  has  a  tendency  to  lead  the  bees 
to  enter  the  hives  standing  on  the  outside  of,  or  edge  of,  the  apiary, 
therebv  weakening  the  colonies  in  the  center  of  the  yard. 


Placing  the  hives  in  small  groups  is  a  most  excellent  arrange- 
ment. Mr.  J.  E.  Crane  of  Middlebury,  Vermont,  arranges  his  hives 
in  groups  of  ten  each,  each  group  being  arranged  as  follows:  Two 
hives  facing  the  north,  three  facing  east,  two  the  south,  and  three  the 
west.  Nine  such  groups,  arranged  in  a  sciuare,  three  groups  each 
way,  furnish  room  for  ninety  hives  in  a  very  compact  body,  yet  each 
hive  is  given  a  most  distinct  individuality. 

Still  another  arrangement  is  that  of  placing  the  hives  in  circles. 
The  entrances  of  the  hives  in  the  inner  row  are  towards  the  center, 
while  those  of  the  outer  row  face  outwards.  This  leaves  the  space 
between  the  two  rows  comparatively  free  from  bees,  and,  the  oper- 
ator can  work  in   this  sjiace  without  annoyance  to  himself  or  the  fly- 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  49 

ing:  bees.  If  the  two  circles  do  not  furnish  suflBcient  room,  more 
and  larger  circles  may  be  added,  or  there  may  be  two  sets  of  circles, 
or  three  sets,  arrang-ed  in  the  form  of  a  triangle,  or  even  four  sets 
arranged  in  a  quadrangle. 

In  nearly  all  of  the  large  apiaries  that  I  have  visited,  the  hives 
were  arranged  in  straight,  simple  rows,  like  the  squares  of  a  checker 
board,  the  entrances  in  some  instances,  facing  the  same  way,  while 
hives  were  from  six  to  eight  feet  apart.  I  would  prefer  to  have  the 
entrances  of  each  alternate  row  turned  towards  the  east,  and  the 
entrances  of  the  hives  in  the  other  rows  turned  towards  the  west. 
This  would  leave  each  alternate  passageway  comparatively  free  from 
bees,  and  the  operator  could  work  here  without  the  bees  bump- 
ing their  heads  against  his.  I  would  prefer  to  have  the  entrances  to 
every  hive  face  either  east  or  west,  because  I  wish  to  shade  each  hive 
with  a  light  board,  2x3  feet  in  size,  laid  over  each  hive,  and  project- 
ing towards  the  south,  and  this  projecting  board  would  be  in  the  way 
of  the  flying  bees  if  the  entrance  were  upon  the  south  side.  When 
the  hives  are  arranged  in  rows  radiating  from  a  common  center,  I 
always  turn  the  entrance  of  each  hive  so  that  it  is  either  east  or 
west. 

There  is  no  reason  for  placing  hives  farther  apart  than  is  neces- 
sary to  afford  sufficient  space  on  all  sides  tor  the  operator.  Bees  do 
not  locate  their  hive  so  much  by  the  distance  that  it  is  from  other 
hives,  as  they  do  by  the  surroundings;  and  these  surroundings  are 
usually  other  hives.  To  illustrate:  Let  the  end  hive  be  removed 
from  along  row  of  hives,  and  the  bees  belonging  to  the  removed  hive 
will  almost  unhesitatingly  enter  the  hive  that  has  become  the  end 
hive  in  the  row.  Two  hives  may  stand  side  by  side,  perhaps  almost 
or  ciuite  touching  each  other,  yet  each  bee  has  no  difficulty  in  dis- 
tinguishing its  own  hive.  In  a  row  of  three,  or  four,  or  even  five 
hives,  the  same  might  be  said,  but,  as  the  number  goes  beA-ond  this, 
there  is  a  little  uncertainty  about  the  matter.  When  their  hives  are 
in  long  rows,  some  bee-keepers  arrange  them  in  groups  of  three  or 
five  in  the  row,  leaving  a  wider  space  between  the  groups  than  there 
is  between  the  individual  hives  composing  a  group. 

The  greatest  objection  to  any  uniformity  of  arrangement  that 
makes  it  difficult  for  the  bees  to  "mark"  their  location,  is  that  queens 
may  enter  the  wrong  hive  upon  their  return  from  their  "wedding 
trip."  With  my  method  of  management,  in  which  the  hive  with  a 
young  queen  is  given  a  new  stand  to  prevent  after-swarming,  a  la 
Heddon,  this  difficulty  is  easily  remedied  by  placing  the  hive  in  some 
location  that  is  easilv  marked— the  end  of  a  row,  for  instance.  When 
this  cannot  be  done,  the  hives  containing  unfertile  queens  may  be 


50 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


marked  in  some  conspicuous    manner  that  will  easily  enable  them  to 
distingfuish  their  own  hives. 

In  (lueen  rearinj;  it  is  important  that  the  small  hives,  containin.y 
the  nuclei,  be  scattered  about  promiscuouslv;  the  ^Teater  the  irre^ru- 
larity  and  oddity  ol"  the  arranj^-ement,  the  less  will  be  thelossof  (jueens 
from  their  enterinj^  wronjf  hives;  but,  in  a  lar^je  apiary  mana},^ed  for 
honey,  it  is  doubtful  if  there  is  a  more  practical  arrangement  than 
that  of  placing  the  hives  in  rows;  and  it  seems  to  me  that  a  little  is 
g-ained,  and  nothing  lost,  by  having  the  rows  radiate  from  the  honey 
house  door. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  51 


(C©mff®irts  air^dl  CoimveiileFices  in  tlie 


n 


Y   these  are  meant  those   things  not   absolutel}-  essential  to 

D~  \      success,  but  that  serve  to  render  more  smooth  and  pleasant 
J     the   somewhat  "thorny"  path    trodden  bj^  the   bee-keeper. 

To  illustrate:  Mr.  H.  R.  Boardman,  of  Ohio,  has  a  cart, 
for  carrying-  his  bees  to  and  from  his  bee  cellar,  with  which  there  is 
no  necessity  for  even  lifting  the  hives  to  place  them  on  the  cart.  It 
is  made  like  a  wheel  barrow  with  two  wheels,  and  having  two  long 
prongs  projecting  in  front.  When  the  cart  is  w^heeled  up  to  a  hive, 
one  prong  goes  one  side  of  the  hive  and  the  other  the  other  side, 
when,  by  depressing  the  handles,  the  hive  is  lifted  from  the  ground; 
cleats  upon  the  sides  of  the  hive  prevent  it  from  slipping  down  be- 
tween the  projecting  prongs.  Then,  again,  Mr.  J.  A.  Green,  of 
Colorado,  has  an  arrangement  for  opening  the  honey  house  door  by 
simply  stepping  upon  a  pedal.  When  both  hands  are  occupied  with 
tools,  a  case  of  honey,  or  something  of  that  sort,  such  an  arrange- 
ment is  quite  a  comfort.  Mr.  Green  is  also  the  man  who  keeps 
kerosene  oil  in  a  spring-bottom  oil  can  to  squirt  on  the  fuel  in  a 
smoker  when  "firing  up." 

Most  of  these  comforts  are  comparatively  inexpensive.  To 
think  of  them  and  secure  them  is  often  more  work  than  to  earn  the 
money  with  which  to  buy  them;  but  their  possession  often  makes  all 
of  the  difference  between  a  season  of  pleasure  and  one  bordering  on 
drudgery,  to  say  nothing  of  the  bearing  they  may  have  upon  the 
profits.  These  little  helps  and  conveniences  are,  in  one  sense, the  oil 
that  makes  the  great  apicultural  machine  move  smoothly,  and  I  be- 
lieve it  worth  while  to  enumerate  a  few  of  them. 


52  ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURE. 

I  will  beofin  with  the  bee-keeper  himself,  or  rather  with  his 
clothing-,  as  his  comfort  is  larg:ely  dependent  upon  that.  When 
there  is  much  shaking  or  brushing  of  bees  to  be  done,  I  prefer  to 
wear  light,  calf  skin  boots  with  the  trousers  tucked  inside.  If  the 
grass  is  wet,  I  wear  rubbers  over  the  boots.  When  shoes  are  worn, 
the  trousers  maj^  be  tucked  inside  the  stockings.  One  fundamental 
principle  about  clothing  to  be  worn  in  the  bee  yard  is  that  one  gar- 
ment laps  closely  over  the  other,  leaving  no  opening  into  which  a  bee 
can  crawl,  and  the  lower  garment  should  lap  over  the  upper  one,  as 
bees  almost  invariably  crawl  tipwards.,  and  the  clothing  should  be  so 
arranged  that  a  bee  can  crawl  from  a  man's  foot  to  his  head  without 
being  led  into  any  opening.  Mr.  Arthur  C.  Miller  suggests  canvas 
shoes  that  lace  well  up  around  the  ankle,  such  as  are  worn  b}' 
tennis  and  base  ball  players  and  cyclists.  Then  he  would  have  the 
trousers  come  just  below  the  knee,  with  canvas  leggings  to  cover  up 
the  lower  part  of  the  legs.  His  ideal  coat  is  a  close-fitting  jacket 
of  light-weight  that  buttons  up  to  the  throat.  In  the  heat  of  the  day, 
however,  few  bee-keepers,  doing  active  work  in  the  apiar}-,  need 
either  coat  or  vest.  The  hat  that  approaches  the  nearest  to  perfec- 
tion, in  Mr.  Miller's  opinion,  is  the  helmet.  It  has  visors  front  and 
back,  and  a  ventilator  all  around  the  rim  and  the  inner  band.  It  is 
light  and  cool,  and  protects  both  the  eyes  and  the  back  of  the  neck 
from  the  sun.  Such  suits  as  those  described  by  Mr.  Miller  can  be 
had  in  white  or  colored  duck,  and  are  light,  cheap,  washable  and  ser- 
viceable; and  complete,  or  in  part,  are  worn  by  cyclists  and  others. 
Light  colored  clothing  is  not  only  cooler,  but  saves  the  wearer  from 
some  stings,  as  the  bees  seem  to  have  a  decided  aversion  to  dark  or 
black  objects.  I  know  one  bee-keeper  who  dresses  in  white  duck 
from  head  to  toe,  and  he  is  positive  that  it  saves  him  from  many  at- 
tacks from  the  bees.  In  the  heat  of  the  working  season  I  wear  linen 
trousers,  a  white  cotton  shirt  and  a  straw  hat.  I  have  seen  recom- 
mended the  wearing  of  light  woolen  clothing,  but  have  never  tried  it. 
Ernest  Root  mentions  the  comfort  that  he  has  derived  from  the 
wearing  of  light  underclothing,  part  woolen.  But  he  does  not  per- 
spire freely,  and  his  underclothing  retains  the  perspiration,  keeping 
the  skin  moist.  With  me  it  is  the  reverse.  I  perspire  so  freely  the 
clothing  is  soon  soaked  through  and  through,  and  frequent  changes 
are  necessary.  Perhaps  each  will  be  obliged  to  decide  the  matter 
by  personal  experience. 

I  never  wish  a  veil  attached  to  the  edge  of  the  hat  rim.  It  is 
only  part  of  the  time  that  a  veil  is  needed,  and  when  it  isn't  needed  I 
wish  it  off  out  of  the  way.  I  prefer  a  veil  with  a  string  run  into  a 
hem  around  the  top,  then  the  upper   edge  can  be    puckered  up  until 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


it  will  just  slip  down  nicely  over  the  hat  crown.  And  when  it  is 
necessar}'  to  wear  a  veil  in  hot  weather,  who  has  not  wished  that 
there  w^as  some  waj-  of  holding  it  down,  aside  from  that  of  tucking-  it 
inside  the  collar  ?  When  the  neck  is  hot  and  sweat}',  how  uncom- 
fortable it  feels  with  a  sort  of  muffler  pressed  close  against  it  b}- 
the  collar.  Besides  this,  the  veil  is  held  sufFocatingh*  close  to  the 
face — so  close,  too,  that  the  bees  often  sting  through  it.  All  this 
may  be  avoided,  and  I'll  tell  you  how.  In  a  hem  in  the  bottom  of  the 
veil  run  a  string,  leaving  about  a 
foot  of  the  hem,  right  in  front,  un- 
occupied by  the  string.  That  is, 
let  the  string  enter  the  hem  at 
about  six  inches  to  the  right  of 
the  center  of  the  front,  pass  it 
around  the  back  of  the  neck, 
bringing  it  out  of  the  hem  at  a 
point  about  six  inches  to  the  left 
of  the  center  of  the  front.  The 
projecting  ends  of  the  string 
must  be  long  enough  to  pass 
under  the  arms,  cross  at  the  back, 
and  then  be  brought  around  and 
tied  in  front.  The  string  holds 
the  edge  of  the  veil  securely  out 
upon  the  shoulders,  while,  if  the 
right  length  of  hem  is  left  with- 
out a  string  in  front,  that  part 
will  be  drawn  snugly  across  the 
breast.  To  Mr.  Porter,  of  bee- 
escape  fame,  belongs  the  honor  of 
devising  this  unsurpassable  way 
of  holding  down  a  bee  veil. 

Gloves  I  have  never  worn,  and  doubt  if  I  could  be  led  to  believe 
them  a  comfort.  To  use  them  would  seem  too  much  like  a  cat  with 
mittens  on  trying  to  catch  mice.  Perhaps  a  beginner  might  tolerate 
them  until  his  timidity  had  worn  off. 

I  know  of  no  comfort  in  the  apiary  greater  than  a  smooth  sur- 
face (of  earth  )  thickly  covered  with  grass.  A  lawn  mower  can 
scarcely  be  called  a  comfort — it  is  a  necessity.  Sprinkle  salt  around 
the  hives  to  kill  the  grass  a  distance  of  six  inches  from  each  hive, 
then  the  lawn  mower  can  cut  all  of  the  grass  that  grows. 

About  the  first  thing  needed  upon  beginning  work  in  the  apiary 
is   a  smoker;  and   oh,  how    much    comfort   or   discomfort   can   come 


54  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

througfh  this  little  implement.  If  any  of  my  readers  have  suffered 
from  smokers  that  spill  tire,  that  become  stopped  up  with  soot,  that 
g-o  out,  or  from  fuel  that  will  not  burn,  let  them  g-et  a  Bingham 
smoker,  of  the  size  called  the  "Doctor,"  get  a  barrel  of  planer  shav- 
ings from  dry  pine,  to  use  as  a  fuel,  and  then  take  comfort.  If  you 
have  never  used  shavings  as  a  fuel,  you  mav  have  trouble  in  getting 
the  fire  to  going.  Don't  put  in  too  many  shavings  at  first.  Leave 
off  the  cover  and  keep  puffing  until  they  have  burned  down  to  cinders 
before  putting:  in  more.  A  little  kerosene  oil,  from  an  oil  can,  as  has 
been  mentioned,  is  a  great  help  in  starting  the  fire.  When  through 
using  the  smoker,  don't  throw  out  the  fire,  but  stop  up  the  nozzle 
with  a  wad  of  grass,  thus  smothering-  the  fire,  and  the  charred  re- 
mains left  in  the  bottom  of  the  smoker  will  light  very  readily  at  the 
touch  of  a  blaze  from  a  match — much  more  so  than  with  fresh  fuel. 
Keep  matches  in  a  safe  place  near  where  the  smoker  is  to  be  lighted. 
Never  be  pestered  by  having  to  run  off  somewhere  after  a  match. 
Above  all,  don't  keep  the  smoker  fuel  and  matches  in  the  hone}' 
house;  the  danger  from  fire  is  too  great.  Rig  up  a  box,  or  a  barrel, 
or  an  old  bee  hive,  with  a  rain  proof  cover,  and  have  it  located  some 
distance  from  the  honey  house.  I  kept  the  fuel  in  an  old  wash-boiler, 
and  had  it  "burn  out"  once.  As  it  was  out  of  doors,  no  harm  was 
done.  Keep  the  cap  of  the  "Doctor"  filled  with  green  weeds  or 
grass,  and  there  is  no  danger  of  blowing  sparks  into  the  hives. 

Have  a  wheel  barrow  for  carrying  cases,  hives  of  honej',  and 
other  heavy  articles.  In  making  a  wheel  barrow,  some  bee-keepers 
have  used  a  wheel  from  some  old,  discarded  bicycle,  the  pneumatic 
tire  doing  away  with  the  jolts  in  carrying  honey  or  hives  of  bees. 

With  such  hives  as  I  use,  the  cover  can  be  turned  up  on  edge 
and  used  as  a  seat;  where  such  is  not  the  case,  a  seat  of  some  kind 
ought  to  be  provided.  A  light  box  17  x  12x  9,  gives  a  chance  for  hav- 
ing a  seat  with  any  one  of  these  heights.  It  should  be  strong  enough 
not  to  rack,  and  have  hand  holes  in  the  side  for  carrying  it. 

A  hammock  in  the  shade  of  a  tree,  or  in  the  work  shop,  is  a  great 
comfort.  Ten  minutes  rest  in  a  reclining  position  are  of  nearly 
twice  the  value  of  that  taken  in  a  standing  or  sitting  posture. 

For  brushing  bees  off  the  combs  I  know  of  nothing  more  effect- 
ual or  comfortable  to  both  the  operator  and  the  bees,  than  the  so- 
called  Coggshall  brush,  which  is  a  sort  of  a  whisk  broom,  with  the 
strands  thinned  out,  and  longer  than  the  ordinary  whisk  broom, 
so  as  to  enable  the  operator  to  give  a  soft,  i)liable,  easy  sweep  of  the 
combs.  In  using  this  brush  it  is  not  intended  that  the  combs  be 
brushed  with  the  ouh  of  the  strands,  as  one  would  sweep  a  floor;  in- 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  55 

stead,  the  brush  is  laid  tlatwise  aj^'ainst  the  comb,  and  ^iven  a  quick, 
sharp,  lateral  sweep. 

A  close  rival  of  the  Coo^o^shall  brush  is  the  Ferry,  double  brush. 
With  it  both  sides  of  the  comb  may  be  brushed  at  the  same  time. 
The  whole  thing-  is  so  simple  that  the  only  wonder  is  that  it  was  not 
thought  of  before  this.  First  there  is  a  long  loop  of  spring--metal 
something-  like  an  ox-bow,  or  hair-pin.  Upon  the  inner  sides  of  the 
spring-  are  fastened  two  opposing  brushes  of  long  bristles.  Aslig-ht 
pressure  upon  the  spring-,  as  it  is  held  in  the  hand,  brings  the  brushes 
in  contact  with  bofJi  sides  of  a  comb,  when  a  downward  sweep  or  two 
will  free  the  comb  of  bees.  Another  thing  must  not  be  overlooked 
(and  it  is  of  much  importance),  and  that  is  that  it  has  a  chain  at- 
tached, and  to  the  end  of  the  chain  is  fastened  an  eyelet  that  may  be 
slipped  over  a  button,  thus  enabling  the  operator  to  always  know 
w^here  his  brush  is  without  having;  to  hunt  for  it. 

Let  each  bee-keeper  look  about  his  apiary  and  see  if  he  is  not 
doing-  some  of  his  work  in  an  awkward  manner,  one  that  mig-ht  be 
avoided  b\'  the  providing  of  a  few  comforts  and  conveniences. 


FERRY  S   aiElE  BRUSH  .7, 


56 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


A  Well  Shaded  Hive. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  57 


>liia^e  ff©r 


HALL  we  shade  our  bees?     If   so,  why,  when,  how  ?     Some 

bee-keepers  do  not   shade  their  hives;  others   do.     Why  do 

they    do   it  ?      Is  it    really   necessary  ?      Do    they  thereby 

secure   more   honey  ?     These  are    pertinent  questions   to 

which    it  is   difficult  to  g-ive   definite  answers,  but   about   which  it  is 

advisable  to  know  all  that  is  known. 

The  temperature  of  a  colonj^  of  bees  in  summer,  when  brood  is 
being-  reared,  is  nearlj^  100  degrees.  Until  the  temperature  in  the 
sun  reaches  this  point,  shade  is  no  benefit;  rather  it  is  an  injury,  as 
it  deprives  the  bees  of  the  warmth  of  the  sun  at  a  time  when  it  would 
be  of  some  benefit.  When  the  temperature  in  the  sun  g^oes  above 
100  deg"rees,  and  beg^ins  to  climb  up  to  110  deg^rees,  120  deg^rees,  130 
deg-rees,  f/icn  the  effort  on  the  part  of  the  bees  is  to  lower  instead  of 
raise  the  temperature  of  the  hive.  Crowds  of  bees  stand  at  the 
entrance  of  the  hive,  and  with  their  wing^s  create  strong",  ventilating- 
currents  of  air.  It  has  been  asserted  that  the  bees  leave  the  combs 
of  honey  well-nigh  forsaken  when  the  temperature  is  very  hig-h;  the 
reason  given  being-  that  the  combs  can  be  kept  cooler  when  not 
covered  with  bees.  I  have  also  read  and  been  told  that  bees  would 
"hang-  out,"  that  is,  cluster  upon  the  outside  of  the  hive,  instead  of 
working-,  if  their  hives  were  left  unshaded  during-  a  hot  daj-;  that 
the3^  are  compelled  to  thus  desert  their  hives  to  save  their  combs 
from  destruction.  I  have  always  kept  my  hives  shaded  during-  hot 
weather,  hence  cannot  speak  from  experience  upon  this  point;  but, 
if  it  is  true,  then  it  would  seem  that  shade,  in  very  hot  weather,  is 
both  desirable  and  profitable.  This  much  I  have  noticed,  that  weak 
colonies,  nuclei,  for  instance,  seldom  make  any  demonstration  of 
discomfort  from  heat,  even  when  left  unshaded,  while   strong-    colo- 


58  ADVANCED  BP:E  CULTURE. 

nies  are  puffin j^:  and  blowinjjf  like  the  runner  of  a  foot-race.  Why  is 
this?  Isn't  it  because  the  strong  colony  is  suffering-  from  the  accu- 
mulation of  its  own  heat — that  generated  by  itself — that  can  not 
escape  fast  enough  ?  If  this  is  true,  why  isn't  a  chaff  hive  the  most 
insufferably  hot  place  imaginable  for  a  colonj'  of  bees  in  hot 
weather  ?  Possibly  the  point  is  just  here:  the  bees  in  the  chaff  hive 
have  to  contend  with  their  own  heat  only,  while  those  in  the  single- 
wall  hive  have  that  from  the  sun  in  addition  to  theirown.  The  thick 
walls  act  as  a  sort  of  absorbent  of  heat;  taking  it  up  during  the  day, 
and  gradually  giving  it  up  during  the  cool  of  the  night.  Let  this  be 
as  it  may,  a  colony  can  be  kept  the  coolest  in  a  thin-wall  hive 
in  the  shade.  How  do  we  keep  cool  in  hot  weather  ?  We  wear  tliin 
clothing,  and  lie  in  the  hammock  in  the  shade.  A  colony  of  bees  is  a 
living,  heat-producing  body,  and  can  be  kept  cool  in  the  same  man- 
ner that  we  keep  our  bodies  cool,  viz.,  let  its  clothing  (hive)  be  thin, 
with  a  free  circulation  of  air  upon  all  sides,  above  and  below,  and 
then  protect  it  from  the  sun's  rays. 

The  color  of  the  hives  has  a  great  bearing  upon  the  necessity  for 
shade.  Black,  or  a  dark  color,  absorbs  heat,  while  it  is  reflected  or 
repelled  by  white.  I  have  seen  the  combs  melt  down  in  an  old, 
weather-beaten  hive  that  stood  in  the  sun,  but  I  never  saw  them  melt 
in  hives  painted  white,  even  if  standing  in  the  sun. 

There  is  still  another  point  that  has  a  bearing  upon  the  (juestion 
under  discussion,  and  that  is  the  circulation  of  air  about  the  hives.  I 
have  read  of  combs  melting  down  in  hives  standing  in  shade  so  dense 
that  the  sun  never  shone  upon  them.  The  trouble  was  that  grow- 
ing corn  on  one  side,  and  dense  brush  upon  the  other,  made  it  so 
close  that  no  air  circulated. 

Shade  is  not  needed  in  the  spring,  fall,  morning  or  evening. 
The  only  time  that  it  is  needed,  if  it  />  needed,  is  the  middle  of  our 
hottest  days;  and  some  temporary,  ((uickiy  adjustable,  easily  remov- 
able shade  is  preferable  to  an  attempt  to  furnish  a  permanent  shade 
by  growing  evergreens,  grape  vines  and  the  like.  In  fact,  a  perma- 
nent shade,  like  that  furnished  by  an  evergreen,  is  an  injury  in 
spring,  robbing  the  bees  of  the  benefit  to  be  derived  from  the  heat  of 
the  sun.  In  fact,  I  know  of  nothing  better  than  a  light  Ijoard,  2  x  .^ 
feet  in  size,  laid  upon  the  top  of  the  hive.  One  of  the  longest  edges 
of  the  board  is  placed  parallel  and  even  with  the  north  edge  of  the 
top  of  the  hive,  the  opposite  edge  of  the  board  projecting  beyond  the 
hive.  This  shades  the  hive  when  shade  is  needed,  and  only  when  it 
is  needed, — in  the  middle  of  the  day.  In  a  windy  situation  it  may  be 
necessary  to  lay  a  brick  or  stone  upon  this  board  to  keep  it  in  place. 
Don't  imagine   that  hooks  or  something  of   that  Ixind  will  be    prefer- 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


59 


able  for  holdinj^-  the  shade-boards  in  place.  A  weight  is  the  simplest, 
cheapest  and  most  convenient.  I  make  these  shade-boards  by  nail- 
ing- the  thick  ends  of  shingles  to  a  piece  of  inch  board  four  inches  wide 
and  two  feet  long.  They  cost  only  live  cents  each,  and,  in  the  fall, 
the}-  can  be  tacked  together,  forming  packing  boxes  in  which  to  pack 
the  bees  for  wintering. 

For  the  comfort  of  the  apiarist,  it  is  well  to  have  a  few  scatter- 
ing trees  in  the  apiary-,  but  let  their  branches  be  trimmed  to  such  a 
height  that  they  will  not  be  knocking  off  his  hat,  or  gouging  out 
his  eyes. 

Perhaps  this  whole  matter  of  shade  might  be  summed  up  some- 
thing as  follows:  If  the  apiary  is  located  where  the  cool  breezes  can 
fan  the  heating  sides  of  the  hives,  wafting  awaj"  the  heat  ere  it  ac- 
cumulates, and  a  broad,  generous  entrance  is  furnished  each  tidy, 
-white  hive,  I  am  persuaded  that  shade  is  not  so  very  essential;  but,  if 
the  hives  are  dark  in  color,  or  the  apiary-  located  where  there  is  not  a 
free  circulation  of  air,  I  feel  sure  that  shade  is  an  absolute  necessitj- 
to  prevent  the  combs  from  melting,  if  for  nothing  else. 


ROYAL    PALMS    OF    CDBA. 


60  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Co^m^racilnoim  of  tllbe  Biroodl  B^e^tc 


Ly\  r<l^HE  brood  nest  is  contracted  to  prevent  the  production  of 
brood  at  a  time  when  the  resulting-  bees  would  come  upon 
the  stag-e  of  action  at  a  time  when  there  would  be  no  honey 
to  g-ather — when  the^'  would  be  consumers  instead  of  pro- 
ducers. It  is  also  contracted  to  compel  the  bees  to  store  the 
honey  in  the  sections  instead  of  in  the  brood  nest.  There  are  sev- 
eral reasons  why  this  is  desirable.  The  honej-  from  clover  and 
basswood  is  white,  tine  flavored,  and  brink's  a  higher  price  than  that 
gathered  later;  hence  it  is  more  protitable  to  force  this  higher  priced 
hone\'  into  the  sections,  and  allow  the  bees  to  fill  the  brood  combs, 
later  in  the  season,  with  winter  stores  from  such  sources  as  yield 
honey  that  brings  a  lower  price.  When  it  is  desirable,  either  from 
its  cheapness,  or  from  its  superiority  as  a  winter  food,  to  use  sugar 
for  winter  stores,  contraction  of  the  brood  nest  can  be  so  managed 
as  to  leave  the  bees  almost  destitute  of  honey  in  the  fall,  which  does 
away  with  the  trouble  of  extracting,  and  leaves  nothing  to  be  done 
except  to  feed  the  bees.  Such,  in  brief,  are  the  advantages  of  con- 
tracting the  brood  nest.  Where  the  honey  flow  lasts  nearly  the 
whole  season,  with  no  long  periods  of  scarcity,  and  the  (juality  of  the 
honey  is  uniform  throughout  the  season,  and  no  advantage  is  to  be 
found  in  substituting  sugar  for  honey  as  winter  stores,  I  see  little 
need  of  contracting  the  brood  nest,  and  would  advise  that  it  be  of  such 
size  that  an  ordinarily  prolific  (|ueen  can  keep  the  combs  well-tilled 
with  brood  in  the  early  part  of  the  season;  but  where  any  of  the  first 
mentioned  conditions  exist,  the  bee-keeper  who  neglects  "contrac- 
tion," is  not  employing  all  of  the  advantages  that  are  available. 

As  a  rule  I  don't  advise  the  contraction  of  the  brood  nest  of  an 
established  colony.  If  it  does  not  properly  till  its  hive,  is  too  weak, 
and  the  time  for  putting  on  sections  has  arrived,  then  contraction  is 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  61 

necessary  if  the  colony  is  to  be  worked  for  comb  honey.  But  when 
a  colony  completely  tills  its  hive,  and  has  its  combs  well-filled  with 
brood,  I  doubt  if  much  is  sjfained  b}'  contracting'  the  brood  nest.  So 
long  as  the  combs  are  kept  full  of  brood,  the  surplus  will  go  into  the 
supers.  If  any  of  the  combs  of  brood  are  taken  away,  they  must  be 
cared  for  by  other  bees  somewhere  else,  so  nothing-  is  gained. 

It  is  at  the  time  of  hiving  a  swarm  that  I  have  found  contraction 
of  the  brood  nest  advisable.  Years  ago  some  of  the  "big  guns"  in 
apiculture  were  given  to  lamenting  the  swarming  of  bees,  because, 
the}'  said,  with  the  swarm  went  all  hopes  of  surplus.  As  the  busi- 
ness was  then  conducted,  the  "bigf  guns"  were  correct  in  man}'  in- 
stances. The  swarm  would  be  hived  in  a  ten-frame  hive,  and  no 
supers  put  on  until  the  hive  was  tilled.  If  they  /nnf  been  put  on  they 
would  not  have  been  occupied  until  the  lower  hive  was  tilled;  and  by 
the  time  this  was  accomplished  it  often  happened  that  the  white 
hone}'  harvest  had  passed.  If  the  old  colony  did  not  swarm  again 
( usualh'  it  did),  some  return  might  be  expected  from  that,  unless 
the  season  was  nearly  over.  In  most  of  our  Northern  States  the 
crop  of  white  honey  is  gathered  within  six  weeks,  often  within  a 
month.  If  a  colony  is  in  a  condition  to  begin  work  in  the  supers  at 
the  opening  of  the  white  honey  harvest,  and  continues  faithfully  at 
work  without  swarming,  as  I  have  already  said,  no  contraction  is 
needed;  but,  suppose  the  harvest  is  half  over,  the  bees  are  working 
nicely  in  the  supers,  there  may  be  one  case  of  sections  almost  ready 
to  come  off,  another  two-thirds  finished,  and  a  third  in  which  the 
work  has  only  nicely  commenced,  now  the  colony  swarms,  what  shall 
be  done  ?  By  hiving  the  swarm  in  a  contracted  brood  chamber  upon 
the  old  stand,  transferring  the  supers  to  the  newly  hived  swarm,  and 
practicing  the  Heddon  method  of  preventing  after-swarming,  work 
will  be  resumed  and  continued  in  the  supers  without  interruption, 
and  the  surplus  will  be  nearly  as  great  as  though  no  swarming  had 
taken  place. 

When  the  brood  nest  is  only  one  tier  of  frames,  the  only  way 
b}'  which  it  can  be  contracted  is  by  taking  out  some  of  the  outside 
combs,  and  tilling  the  space  thus  left,  by  using  "dummies."  A 
"dummy"  is  simply  a  brood  frame  with  thin  boards  tacked  upon 
each  side.  It  hangs  in  the  hive  and  occupies  space  the  same  as  a 
comb,  only  it  is  a  "dummy"  just  as  its  name  indicates.  A  frame 
wider  than  a  brood  frame  may  be  used,  and  this  will  make  the 
"dummy"  thicker.  Don't  have  the  "dummy"  touch  the  sides  of  the 
hive,  then  the  bees  cannot  glue  it  fast.  How  thick  a  "dummj-" 
should  be  depends  upon  how  many  combs  are  to  be  removed.  When 
using  the  Langstroth  frame  I  prefer  to  contract  to  live  frames. 


62  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

With  the  Heddon  hive,  in  which  the  brood  chamber  is  horizon- 
tally divisible,  simply  using-  only  one  section  of  the  brood  nest  con- 
tracts the  brood  nest  to  about  the  proper  capacity.  This  method  of 
contraction  is  preferable  to  using  dummies.  Not  only  is  there  less 
labor  and  complication,  but  the  flatness  of  the  brood  nest,  and  the 
absence  of  any  dummies  under  the  outer  sections,  make  the  bees 
more  inclined  to  work  in  the  sections. 

When  the  brood  nest  is  very  much  contracted,  it  has  a  tendency 
to  cause  a  newly  hived  swarm  to  "swarm  out"  and  leave  the  hive. 
When  there  is  trouble  from  this  source,  the  brood  nest  may  be  used 
nearly  or  quite  full-size  for  two  or  three  days,  until  the  swarming 
fever  has  abated,  and  the  bees  have  settled  down  to  steady  work. 
If  newly  hived  swarms  begin  "swarming  out,"  when  I  am  using  the 
new  Heddon  hive,  I  use  a  full-size  brood  nest  for  three  days,  and 
then  shake  the  bees  from  the  lower  section  of  the  hive,  and  use  this 
section  for  the  tipper  section  of  the  next  hive  into  which  I  put  a 
swarm. 

It  has  been  urged  against  contraction  that  it  results  in  small 
colonies  at  the  end  of  the  season.  If  it  is  carried  to  too  great  an  ex- 
tent, and  too  long  continued,  it  certainly  does.  If  a  man  wishes  to 
turn  bees  into  honey,  so  to  speak,  contraction  of  the  brood  nest  will 
enable  him  to  accomplish  his  object.  If  colonies  are  too  weak  in  the 
fall  as  the  result  of  severe  contraction,  they  must  be  united;  but  the 
course  pursued  by  nearly  all  who  practice  contraction,  is  to  enlarge 
the  brood  nest  again  in  time  for  the  colony  to  build  up  sufticiently  for 
a  fall  flow  of  honey,  if  there  is  one,  or  to  become  strong  enough  for 
winter.  When  bees  are  wintered  in  a  repository  of  the  proper  tem- 
perature, I  have  never  found  that  unusually  populous  colonies  were 
any  more  desirable  than  smaller  ones.  This  is  one  advantage  of 
cellar-wintering,  the  population  may  be  reduced  to  the  minimum 
during  the  consumptive,  non-productive  part  of  the  year. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  63 


ie  asidl  Albms©  ©ff  C©ml 
FotEiii(dati©i^o 


L^  pv^HAT  comb  foundation  has  been  a  boon  to  bee-keepers,  no  one 
doubts;  that  money  expended  in  its  purchase  is  often  re- 
turned man\-  fold  is  equally'  true;  but  such  is  not  always  the 
case.  All  through  the  working-  season  wax  is  being  secreted 
to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  If  not  utilized  it  is  lost.  Of  course,  bees 
that  till  themselves  full  of  honey  and  hang  in  clustering  festoons 
secrete  wax  to  a  zrri'  niiic/i  grtater  extent  than  those  engaged  in 
bringing  in  honey.  The  bees  of  a  swarm  will  nearly  always,  if  not 
always,  be  found  with  large  wax  scales  in  the  wax  pockets.  Having 
found  that  foundation  is  used  at  a  profit  in  some  places  and  at  some 
times,  the  bee-keeping  world  seems  to  have  decided,  with  almost  no 
experiments,  that  bees  ought  never  to  be  allowed  to  build  comb 
naturally. 

Years  ago  I  practiced  hiving  swarms  upon  empty  combs,  upon 
foundation,  and  upon  empty  frames— empty  except  starters  of 
foundation.  The  first  swarm  was  hived  upon  comb,  the  second  upon 
foundation,  and  the  third  upon  starters  only.  This  order  was  con- 
tinued, the  first  year  it  was  tried,  until  fifteen  swarms  were  hived, 
when  the  use  of  empty  combs  was  discontinued,  as  it  was  only  too 
evident  that  they  were  used  at  a  loss.  I  have  reference  here  to  what 
was  used  in  the  brood  nest  in  hiving  swarms  when  raising  comb 
honey.  The  difficulty  with  drawn  combs  is  just  this:  Before  the 
queen  will  lay  in  old  combs,  the  cells  must  be  cleaned  out  and  "var- 
nished" or  polished  until  they  shine;  and  long  ere  this,  especially  if 
there  is  a  good  flow  of  honey,  they  will  be  badly  needed,  and  will 
be  used,  for  storage.     In  other   words,  combs   are   ready    for  honey 


64 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


before  they  are  ready  for  effg^s,  and  the  bees  fill  the  combs  at  once 
with  honey,  when,  from  some  perversity  of  bee-nature,  work,  in 
many  instances,  comes  almost  to  a  stand  still.  Having-  filled  the 
body  of  the  hive,  the  bees  seem  disinclined  to  make  a  start  in  the 
sections.  Where  bees  commence  storing-  their  surplus,  there  thej^ 
seem  inclined  to  continue  to  store  it;  and  let  the  bees  once  g-et  the 
start  of  the  queen  by  clog-g:ing-  the  brood  nest  with  honey,  and  that 
colony  becomes  practically  worthless  for  the  production  of  comb 
honey. 


Bees  Secreting  Wax  and  Building  Ccmb. 
The  advantag-e  of  full  sheets  of  foundation  over  starters,  or  vice 
vcrsa^  was  not  so  apparent,  and,  until  the  close  of  the  season,  an 
equal  number  of  swarms  were  hived  alternately  upon  full  sheets  of 
foundation  and  upon  starters.  Enoug-h  was  proved  the  first  season 
to  show  that,  so  far  as  surplus  was  concerned,  nothing-  was  gained 
by  using-  foundation  in  the  brood  nest,  except  for  starters,  when 
hiving  swarms.  I  have  since  continued  to  experiment,  year  after 
year,  by  hiving  swarms  alternately  upon  foundation  and  upon  start- 
ers only,  in  the  brood  nest,  weighing  both  surplus  and  brood  nests 
at  the  end  of  the  season,  and  the  evidence  has  been  in  favor  of  empty 
frames  every  ti7ne.     Occasionally  I  have  hived  a  swarm'upon  drawn 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  65 

combs,  but  the  loss  has  ahuays  been  so  great,  that  it  seems  like  folly 
to  repeat  it. 

When  full  sheets  of  foundation  are  used  in  the  brood  nest,  and 
the  brood  nest  is  so  contracted  that  some  of  the  bees  must  enter  the 
sections;  and  the  sections  are  filled  with  drawn  comb,  or  partly 
drawn  comb,  the  hone^-  must,  from  necessity,  be  stored  in  the 
supers  until  the  foundation  in  the  brood  frames  can  be  drawn  out; 
and  even  then,  having  commenced  work  in  the  sections,  the  bees  will 
not  desert  them.  But  there  is  only  one  queen  furnishing  eggs  while 
hundreds  of  busy,  eager  workers  are  pulling  away,  with  might  and 
main,  drawing  the  foundation  out  into  comb;  and  the  time  eventualh' 
comes  when  there  are  thousands  of  empty  cells  in  the  brood  nest. 
Now,  Nature  has  no  greater  abhorrence  of  a  vacuum  than  has  a  bee 
of  an  empty  cell  during  a  flow  of  honey;  so,  while  the  general  orders 
are  "up  stairs  with  the  hone\-,"  no  cells  in  the  brood  nest  are  left 
empty  ver}'  long.  E3peciall5'  is  this  true  with  a  deep  brood  nest  and 
yellow  Italians. 

If  a  swarm  is  hived  upon  starters  only,  the  first  step  is,  neces- 
sarih',  the  building  of  comb.  If  a  super  filled  with  drawn,  or  partl3' 
drawn  comb  Knot  foundation )  is  placed  over  the  hive,  the  bees  will 
begin  storing  honey  in  the  combs  in  the  super  at  the  same  time  that 
comb  building  is  begun  below.  A  queen-excluder  must  be  used  to 
keep  the  queen  out  of  the  supers,  then  she  will  be  read^'  with  her 
eggs  the  moment  a  few  cells  are  parth-  finished  in  the  brood  nest; 
and,  if  the  latter  has  been  properly  contracted,  she  will  easily  keep 
pace  with  the  comb  building.  The  result  is  that  nearh^  all  of  the 
honey  goes  into  the  supers,  where  it  is  stored  in  the  most  market- 
able shape,  while  the  combs  in  the  brood  nest  are  filled  almost 
entireh'  with  brood.  When  bees  are  hived  upon  empty  frames,  a 
small  brood  nest  is  imperatively  necessar^^  otherwise  large  quanti- 
ties of  honey  will  be  stored  therein;  and  when  bees  build  comb  to 
store  hone}',  particularly  if  the  yield  is  g"ood,  the}'  usualh'  build 
drone  comb.  So  long  as  the  queen  keeps  pace  with  the  comb  build- 
ers, worker  comb  is  usually  built,  but  if  the  brood  nest  is  so  large 
that  the  bees  begin  hatching  from  its  center  before  the  bees  have 
filled  it  with  comb,  and  the  queen  returns  to  re-fill  the  cells  being 
vacated  by  the  hatching  bees,  the  comb  builders  are  quite  likely  to 
change  from  worker  to  drone  comb. 

No  fairer  question  could  be  asked  than:  What  are  the  advantag-es 
of  this  system  ?  In  the  first  place,  the  cost  of  the  foundation  is 
saved;  but,  althoug-h  this  is  a  g-reat  saving,  it  comes  about  incident- 
alh',  as  the  non-use  of  foundation  is  only  a  means  to  an  end,  and  that 
is  the  profitable  securing  of  the  greatest  possible  amount  of  honey  in 


66  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

the  most  marketable  shape;  leaving'  the  brood  nest  so  free  from 
honey  that  no  extracting:  is  needed  when  the  time  comes  for  feeding- 
sugar  for  winter  stores.  Those  who  for  any  reason  do  not  wish  to 
use  sugar,  may  still  take  advantage  of  this  system  by  putting  the 
unfinished  sections  back  on  the  hives  in  time  for  the  honey  to  be 
carried  down  and  stored  in  the  brood  nest  for  winter.  Or  a  case  of 
brood  combs  may  be  put  on  over  the  sections  as  the  harvest  draws 
to  a  close,  instead  of  putting  on  another  case  of  sections.  This  will 
do  away  with  nearly  all  unfinished  sections,  and  the  case  of  filled 
brood  combs  can  be  given  the  colonj^  at  the  end  of  the  season  in 
place  of  its  empt^^  combs,  ^y  either  plan,  the  number  of  finished 
sections  is  increased. 

The  greatest  objection  to  this  plan  is  that  it  cannot  be  depended 
upon  to  produce  all  perfect  brood  combs.  I  think  I  am  safe  in  sav- 
ing that  I  have  had  thousands  of  combs  built  under  this  manage- 
ment, and  I  think  that  at  least  eighty  per  cent,  of  them  were  as  per- 
fect as  it  would  be  possible  to  secure  by  the  use  of  full  sheets  of 
foundation.  A  much  larger  percentage  was  perfect  when  I  was 
using  mostly  the  Langstroth  frame,  and  contracted  the  brood  nest 
to  only  five  frames.  This  made  the  top  of  the  brood  nest,  where  the 
bees  commence  their  combs,  so  small  that  the  swarm  completelj' 
covered  it.  All  of  the  combs  were  thus  commenced  at  the  same 
time.  As  a  rule,  they  were  nearly  as  perfect  as  possible,  at  least  so 
far  as  straightness  was  concerned.  When  I  came  to  using  the 
Heddon  hive  more  extensively,  I  discovered  that  the  greater  surface 
at  the  top  allowed  room  for  the  starting  of  more  combs,  that  the  out- 
side combs  would  not  alwaA's  be  started  so  soon  as  the  center  ones, 
and  this  sometimes  resulted  in  the  bulging  of  some  of  the  combs. 

Sometimes  drone  comb  will  be  built  in  spite  of  contracted  brood 
nests.  Usually  this  is  the  result  of  old  (jueens.  But  then,  we  can't 
always  have  young  queens,  hence  I  can  only  repeat  that  this  method 
gives  excellent  results  in  the  way  of  surplus,  but  cannot  be  depended 
upon  to  always  furnish  perfect  brood  combs.  Some  keep  watch  of 
the  brood  combs  while  they  are  being  built,  cutting  out  crooked, 
bulged  or  drone  comb,  and  using  it  in  the  sections.  I  can  not  think- 
favorably  of  such  work.  When  I  hive  a  swarm,  I  wish  that  to  be  the 
end  of  the  matter.  No  opening  of  brood  nests,  and  puttering  with 
imperfect  combs,  during  the  hurly  burl^^  of  swarming-time,  would 
be  desirable  for  me.  But  I  do  think  favorably  of  contracting  the 
brood  nests  when  hiving  swarms,  then  uniting  colonies  at  the  end  of 
the  season,  culling  out  the  imperfect  combs  and  rendering  them  into 
wax.     I  think  all  such  combs  are  built  at  a  profit. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  67 

If  securing"  straight,  all-worker  combs  is  not  the  greatest  ad- 
vantage arising-  from  the  use  of  foundation,  it  is  certainly  next  to 
the  greatest.  The  advantages  of  having  each  comb  a  counterpart 
of  all  the  others,  to  be  able  to  place  any  comb  in  anj^  hive,  in  short, 
to  have  each  interchangeable  with  all  the  others,  and  to  be  able  to 
control  the  production  of  drones,  to  have  them  reared  from  such 
stock  as  we  desire,  and  in  such  quantities,  no  more  and  no  less,  all 
these  are  advantages  that  cannot  be  ignored,  even  at  the  cost  of  filling 
our  frames  with  foundation,  and  securing  a  little  less  surplus.  We 
j/iKsihave  straight,  worker  combs.  If  they  can  be  secured  without 
foundation,  well  and  good;  if  not,  it  must  be  used.  B}^  using  weak 
colonies,  or  queen  rearing  nuclei,  or  by  feeding  bees  in  the  fall, 
straight,  all-worker  combs  may  be  secured  at  a  profit. 

Perhaps  the  greatest  iDuncdiate  profit  arising  from  the  use  of 
foundation,  is  not  so  much  in  the  saving-  of  hone}^  that  would  other- 
wise have  been  used  in  the  elaboration  of  wax,  as  in  the  quickness 
with  which  it  enables  the  bees  to  furnish  storage  for  honej'.  When 
bees  are  storing  hone}'  slowlj",  the  wax  that  they  secrete  without 
consuming  hone}-  expressly  for  that  purpose,  probably  furnishes 
sufficient  material,  and  there  is  probabh'  abundant  time,  for  the 
building  of  comb  in  which  to  store  the  honey.  As  the  flow  of  honey 
increases,  the  handling  of  larger  quantities  of  nectar  increases  the 
natural  or  involuntary  wax  secretion;  but,  as  the  5'ield  of  honej'  in- 
creases, a  point  is  reached  when  honey  must  be  consumed  expressly 
that  wax  may  be  secreted.  It  is  quite  likelj^  that,  at  this  point, 
foundation  may  be  used  at  a  profit  to  aid  the  bees  in  furnishing 
storage.  When  the  yield  is  so  great  that  the  bees  cannot  secrete  wax 
and  build  comb  with  sufficient  rapidity  to  store  all  of  the  honey  that 
they  might  gather,  then  foundation  is  certainly  used  at  a  profit. 
Furthermore,  I  have  seen  the  yield  of  honey  so  bountiful  that  even 
foundation  did  not  answer  the  purpose;  the  bees  did  not  draw  it  out 
fast  enough  to  furnish  storag-e  for  all  of  the  honey  that  could  have 
been  brought  in.  At  such  times  drawn  combs  are  needed  in  the 
supers. 

It  will  be  seen  that  this  question  of  foundation  is  one  to  which 
there  maj'  be  profitably  given  much  thought  and  experimentation. 
If  the  bee-keeper  lives  where  the  honey  flow  is  light,  but,  perhaps, 
prolong-ed,  he  will  find  it  more  profitable  to  allow  his  bees  to  build 
their  own  combs.  If  he  can't  get  perfect  brood  combs,  he  certainlj^ 
can  allow  the  bees  to  build  their  own  combs  for  the  surplus  comb 
honey.  And,  bj'^  the  way,  no  comb  built  from  foundation  can  ever 
equal  the  delicate  flakiness  of  that  built  naturalh'  bj-  the  bees.  If 
honey  comes  in  "floods,"  as  it  sometimes  does  in  some  localities,  the 


68 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


man  who  allows  his  bees  to  build  their  store  combs  unaided  at  such 
a  time,  loses  dollars  and  dollars.  If  foundation  is  needed  only  for 
the  sake  of  securing  straight,  worker  combs,  it  need  not  necessarily 
be  heavy.  All  foundation  in  brood  frames,  upon  which  swarms  are 
hived,  should  be'wired  to  prevent  sag-ging-  and  breaking  down. 


Copyrighted  by  H.  E.  Hill. 


Orange  Blossoms. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  69 


IncreasCp  Its  Maima^effiment  am^ 


Zxo  INHERE  are  two  classes  of  bee-keepers  who  desire  to  prevent 

increase  in  the  number  of  their  colonies.     The  first,  and  by 

_[         far   the   lartjer   class,  own   large  home-apiaries,  and    prefer 

surplus  to  increase.     This  class  can  allow  swarming^  if,  by 

some  simple  manipulation,  the  number  of   colonies   can  be   kept  the 

same,  and    the  bees   induced  to   devote  their  energ-ies  to  the   storing- 

of  honey.     The    second    class   are  the   owners   of  out-apiaries;   and 

while  they  maj^  not  be  so  particular  about   preventing  increase,  they 

do  wish  to  prevent  swarming.     This   accomplished,  the  out-apiaries 

can  be  left  alone,  except  at  stated  intervals. 

In  repl}^  to  the  question,  "Whj^  do  bees  swarm  ?"  it  has  been  re- 
plied that  "It  is  natural."  "It  is  their  method  of  increase."  This 
may  be  true,  in  part,  but  it  is  not  a  satisfactory^  answer.  I  have 
never  known  a  season  to  pass  in  which  all  of  the  colonies  in  my 
apiar}^  swarmed  or  else  didn't  swarm.  Onej^earlhad  75  colonies. 
The}'  were  worked  for  comb  honey.  Forty  of  them  swarmed;  thirt}^- 
five  of  them  didn't.  It  would  have  been  just  as  "natural,"  just  as 
much  "according  to  nature,"  for  one  colony'  to  swarm  as  for  another. 
In  Gleanings  for  1889  there  was  quite  a  lengthy  discussion  in  regard 
to  the  causes  that  led  to  swarming.  The  chit  of  the  discussion 
seemed  to  be  that  an  undue  proportion  of  young  or  nurse-bees  to  the 
brood  to  be  nursed  was  the  prime  cause  of  swarming.  If  the  brood- 
nest  be  well-filled  with  brood,  then  for  lack  of  room  the  bees  begin 
storing  honey  in  the  cells  from  which  the  bees  are  hatching,  the 
result  is  that  soon  there  is  but  little  brood  to  care  for,  compared  with 


70  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

the  number  of  nurses,  or  youn^f  bees.  This  theory  is  stren}4:thened 
by  the  fact  that  when  bees  are  given  an  abundance  of  empty  comb 
in  which  to  store  their  honey,  swarminj?  very  seldom  ever  occurs. 
In  short,  extracting  the  honey,  or,  to  be  more  exact,  giving  plenty  of 
empty  comb,  is  the  most  successful,  i)ractical  method  of  controlling 
increase.  In  large  apiaries,  especially  out-apiaries  that  can  be 
visited  only  at  intervals,  it  is  well-nigh  impossible  to  keep  every  col- 
ony always  supplied  with  empty  combs,  hence  there  will  be  occa- 
sional swarms.  If  there  is  to  be  some  one  present  to  hive  what  few 
swarms  do  issue,  and  prevention  of  increase  is  desired  simply  that 
the  amount  of  surplus  may  be  greater,  and  the  surplus  is  preferred 
in  the  extracted  form,  then  the  man  with  these  desires  can  have 
them  gratified. 

In  the  production  of  comb  honey  it  is  doubtful  if  there  is  a  pi'oj- 
i tabic  method  of  preventing  swarming,  although,  of  late,  the  prac- 
tice of  what  is  termed  "shook-swarming"  enables  the  bee-keeper  to 
swarm  a  colony,  in  a  manner  ver^'  nearly  approaching  natural 
swarming,  when  he  finds  that  preparations  are  being  made  for 
swarming.  When  he  finds  a  colony  building  ([ueen  cells,  he  knows 
that  within  a  few  days,  a  week  at  the  utmost,  the  colony  will  cast  a 
swarm;  and,  instead  of  waiting,  and  allowing  the  colony  to  swarm 
when  it  has  completed  its  first  queen  cell,  he  takes  the  matter  into 
his  own  hands  by  shaking  off  most  of  the  bees  and  the  <jueen  into  a 
new  hive,  treating  this  shaken  swarm  in  exactly  the  same  manner  as 
he  would  treat  a  swarm  that  had  issued  naturally.  In  other  words, 
the  bee-keeper  simply  forestalls  what  would  have  occurred  natur- 
ally, in  a  few  days,  if  the  colony  had  been  left  undisturbed.  The  ad- 
vantage is  that  the  bee-keeper  can  thus  bring  about  the  swarming 
when  he  is  present  to  attend  to  it,  instead  of  having  it  happen  when 
no  one  is  present.  This  plan  enables  him  to  visit  out-apiaries  at 
stated  intervals,  giving  each  colony  an  examination,  and  "shaking" 
those  that  are  making  preparations  for  swarming.  A  colony  that  is 
not  building  (|ueen  cells  is  not  likely  to  swarm  inside  of  a  week,  and 
may  be  left  undisturbed  until  the  next  weekly  visit.  Another  minor 
advantage  of  shook-swarming  is  that  it  does  away  with  the  uniting 
and  mixing  up  of  two  or  more  swarms  that  may  issue  at  the  same 
time  in  a  large  apiary,  where  natural  swarming  is  allowed.  Failures 
in  shook-swarming  result,  as  a  rule,  from  doing  the  work  too  early 
in  the  season,  before  the  colony  has  made  preparations  for  swarm- 
ing, and  in  not  disturbing  the  bees  sufficiently  at  the  time,  thus 
causing  them  to  fill  themselves  with  honey,  as  they  do  when  swarm- 
ing naturally.  Before  beginning  the  work,  it  is  well  to  jar  the  hive, 
or  pound  upon  it,  until  the  bees  are  thoroughly  frightened,  and  have 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  71 

filled  themselves  with  honev.  If  it  is  desirable  to  have  increase,  the 
old  hive  can  be  g"iven  a  new  location  and  a  laying  queen,  or  a  ripe 
queen  cell.  If  no  increase  is  desired,  the  old  hive  can  be  set  b}-  the 
side  of  the  new  one,  with  its  entrance  turned  slightly  to  one  side; 
then,  at  the  next  visit,  it  may  be  shifted  to  the  other  side  of  the  new 
hive,  when  the  flying-  bees  will  enter  the  new  hive.  A  week  later  it 
ma}'  be  placed  back  upon  the  other  side,  and,  at  the  next  visit,  three 
weeks  from  the  swarming,  the  few  remaining  bees  ma}-  be  shaken 
out  of  the  old  hive.  The  shifting  of  the  old  hive,  from  side  to  side 
of  the  new  hive,  may  be  omitted,  the  old  hive  being  left  standing  b}' 
the  side  of  the  new-  one  until  the  three  weeks  have  elapsed,  when  all 
of  the  bees  ma^*  be  shaken  in  with  the  new  colony.  The  advantage 
of  the  former  plan  is  that  some  of  the  hatching  bees  are  sooner 
thrown  into  the  hew  hive,  where  their  work  will  be  to  the  greater 
advantage  of  the  owner. 

To  avoid  all  danger  from  after-swarming  it  is  desirable  to  shake 
the  combs  quite  clear  of  bees  when  making  a  "shook-swarm,"  and 
this  sometimes  results  in  chilled  or  starved  brood.  There  is  a  way, 
however,  to  avoid  this  difficult}'.  Set  the  new  swarm  a  little  to  one 
side  of  the  old  stand.  The  fljing  bees  return  to  the  old  stand 
and  care  for  the  brood  At  night  the  hi^-e  containing  the  brood,  and 
the  flying  bees  that  have  returned  and  entered  it,  is  picked  up  and 
carried  to  a  new  stand,  and  the  "shook-swarm"  placed  upon  the  old 
stand.  Of  course,  the  old  bees  that  are  carried  to  the  new  stand 
gradually  come  back  to  the  old  stand,  and  join  the  "shook-swarm." 
but  it  is  one  or  two  da^s  before  the}-  all  get  back.  and.  in  the  mean- 
time, young  bees  are  hatching  out,  and,  by  the  time  the  old  bees 
have  all  returned,  there  are  sufficient  j'oung  bees  hatched  to  protect 
and  feed  the  brood. 

"When  natural  swarming  is  allowed  to  the  extent  of  first  swarms, 
it  is  an  easy  matter  to  prevent  the  issuing  of  after-swarms  in  a 
home-apiary  where  there  can  be  daih'  attention.  The  plan  is  very 
similar  to  the  one  just  mentioned  for  preventing  increase  when 
practicing  shook-swarming.  When  the  season  for  surplus  hone}- 
closes  with  clover  or  basswood,  it  is  better  not  to  try  to  secure  sur- 
plus from  both  the  parent  colon}-  and  the  swarm.  Hive  the  swarm 
upon  the  old  stand,  transferring  the  supers  from  the  old  to  the  new 
hive.  If  the  brood  chamber  of  the  new  hive  is  not  too  large,  work 
will  be  at  once  resumed  in  the  sections.  Place  the  old  hive  by  the 
side  of  the  new  one,  with  its  entrance  turned  to  one  side.  That  is, 
have  the  rear  ends  of  the  hives  nearly  in  contract,  but  their  entrances 
perhaps  two  feet  apart.  Each  day  turn  the  entrance  of  the  old  hive 
a  few  inches  towards  that  of  the  new  hive.     At  the  end  of  the  sixth 


72  ADVANCED  BE?:  CULTURE. 

day,  the  two  hives  should  stand  side  by  side.  Practically,  the  two 
hives  are  on  one  stand.  True,  the  bees  of  each  hive  recogfnize  and 
enter  their  own  home,  but,  remove  one  hive,  and  all  of  the  flyinj? 
bees  would  enter  the  remaining-  hive.  Usually  the  second  swarm 
comes  out  on  the  eighth  day  after  the  issuing-  of  the  first.  Now,  if 
the  apiarist  will,  on  the  seventh  day,  about  noon,  when  most  of  the 
bees  are  a-field,  carry  the  old  hive  to  a  new  location,  all  of  the  bees 
that  have  flown  from  the  old  hive  since  the  issuing- of  the  swarm, 
that  have  marked  the  old  location  as  their  home,  will  return  and  join 
the  newly  hived  sw^arm.  This  booms  the  colony  where  the  sections 
are,  and  so  reduces  the  old  colony,  just  as  the  young-  queens  are 
hatching,  that  any  farther  swarming:  is  abandoned.  The  old  colony 
just  about  builds  up  into  a  first-class  colony  for  wintering.  If  there 
is  a  fall  honey  flow,  such  a  colony  may  store  some  surplus  then. 
This  method  of  preventing-  after-swarming,  called  the  Heddon 
method,  is  not  i)ifaUibIe.  If  a  colony  swarms  before  the  first  (|ueen 
cell  is  sealed,  the  first  j^oung-  queen  may  not  hatch  until  the  old  col- 
ony has  been  upon  the  new  stand  long-  enoug-h  for  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  bees  to  hatch  to  form  a  swarm;  but,  as  a  rule,  this  plan  is  a 
success.  If  an  after-swarm  docs  come  out,  I  open  the  hive,  while 
the  swarm  is  clustering-,  cut  out  all  of  the  queen  cells,  return  the 
swarm,  and  that  is  the  end  of  the  swarming-.  If  the  bee-keeper  de- 
sires no  increase,  he  can  pursue  the  plan  just  g-iven  until  it  is  time  to 
remove  the  old  hive  to  a  new  location,  when  it  may  be  shifted  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  new  hive,  with  its  entrance  turned  to  one  side, 
then  g-radually  worked  back  to  the  side  of  the  new  hive,  as  has  been 
already  o^'xplained,  then,  at  the  end  of  the  week,  shifted  back  to  the 
other  side,  where  it  may  stand  another  week,  when  all  of  the  bees 
may  be  shaken  out,  and  the  hive  and  combs  removed.  What  little 
honey  remains  in  the  combs  may  be  extracted,  or,  if  some  of  them 
are  well-filled  with  honey,  they  may  be  saved  to  give  any  colony  that 
is  lacking  in  stores  at  the  approach  of  winter. 

There  seems  to  be  no  good  plan  of  allowing  bees  to  swarm,  and 
then  preventing  increase  by  uniting,  without  having  an  extra  set  of 
combs  built  for  each  swarm  that  issues,  and  the  same  may  be  said 
when  shook-swarming  is  i)racticed,  but  I  believe  such  combs 
are  produced  at  a  profit. 

There  is  still  another  plan  of  preventing  increase,  besides  that 
of  merging  the  old  colony  into  the  new;  it  is  that  of  contracting  the 
brood  nest  of  the  newly  hived  swarm  to  such  an  extent  that  the  end 
of  the  season  will  find  it  too  much  reduced  in  numbers  lor  success- 
ful wintering,  whi-n  it  may  be  united  with  the  parent  colony. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


73 


Unite  a  nuniher  of  bee-keepers  have  succeeded  to  their  entire 
satisfaction  in  preventing-  aftei'-swarming-,  also  in  preventinji;  in- 
crease, while  only  a  verj'  few  have  succeeded  in  preventing-  swarm- 
ing when  working:  for  comb  honey.  Probably  the  only  certain 
method  that  has  been  used  to  anj'  extent,  in  this  country,  is  that  of 
removing  the  (iueens  just  at  the  opening  of  the  swarming  season, 
leaving  the  colonies  cjueenless  about  three  weeks.  Of  course,  (lueen 
cells  must  be  cut  out,  at  least  once,  during  this  interval.  Although 
a  few  good  men  practice  this  method,  I  never  could  bring-  myself  to 
adopt  it — there  is  too  much  labor. 

The  man  who  is  raising  comb  honey  as  a  />ns/ucss  will  find  it  to 
his  advantage  to  allow  each  colony  to  swarm  once,  if  it  ~uw7/,  (and  no 
more  )  then  make  the  most  out  of  the  swarm.  Whether  the  swarm 
and  the  old  colon}'  shall  be  again  merged  into  one,  depends  upon  the 
desirability  of  increase. 


A  YOUNG  bkk-ki:epfk. 


74  ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURE. 


Tlhe  Hnvlim^  of  Beej 


'ATURAL  swarmin.uf,  with  its  uncertainties,  anxieties,  and 
vexatious  losses,  is  destined  to  eventually  become  a  thing" 
of  the  past.  Methods  of  controllinj^  increase,  i:)reventin<i:  it 
altof^ether,  or  else  doing'  the  \vork  artificially,  will  reach 
such  perfection  that  swarming  will  be  eliminated.  Many  bee-keep- 
ers are  already  forestalling  swarming  by  some  artificial  method  of 
increase,  notably  that  of  shook-swarming.  No  professional  bee- 
keeper worthy  of  the  name,  any  longer  allows  natural  swarming,  un- 
controlled, in  a  large  apiary.  The  days  have  past  when  we  can 
afford  to  allow  several  swarms,  issuing  at  the  same  time,  to  join 
forces  and  make  merrj'  in  the  top  of  some  tall  tree.  Even  if 
swarming:  is  allowed,  the  queens  are  either  clipped,  or  else  controlled 
by  means  of  queen-traps  in  front  of  the  entrances  of  the  hives.  Two 
or  more  swarms  issuing  at  the  same  time  may  unite,  and  give 
trouble  by  attempting  to  enter  one  hive  when  they  return,  but  there 
will  be  no  loss  of  bees,  nor  climbing  of  trees.  The  bees  will  >/t/y  in 
/ he  yard,  and  can  be  broug^ht  under  control. 

When  swarming"  is  allowed,  I  believe  that  the  majority  of  ad- 
vanced bee-keepers  now  hive  their  swarms  by  having  the  (jueens' 
wings  clii)ped,  and  allowing  the  bees  to  return  to  their  old  location, 
which  they  will  do  when  they  find  the  queen  is  not  with  them.  Of 
course  the  queen  ci//ciiit>/^  to  folU)w  the  bees,  and  is  found  in  front  of 
the  hive  by  the  bee-keeper,  who  cages  her,  and  sets  the  old  hive  to 
one  side,  replacing  it  with  a  new  hive  ]irepared  for  the  occupancy  of 
the  swarm.  When  the  bees  return,  they  enter  the  new  hive, 
supposing  it  to  be  their  old  home,  thus  hiving  themselves.  While 
they  are  entering  the  hive,  the  (jueen  is  allowed  to  run  in  with  them 
— and  the  work  is  done. 

There  is  another  method  of  carrying  out  this  principle;  that  of 
catching"  the  queen    in  a  trap  in  front  of   the  hive.     The   lower   part 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  75 

of  the  trap  is  covered  with  perforated  zinc,  the  perforations  being- 
of  such  a  size  that  the  workers  can  pass,  but  not  the  queen.  When 
a  swarm  issues,  the  queen  attempts  to  follow,  and,  eventually,  finds, 
and  passes  through,  a  cone-shaped  opening-  in  the  upper  part  of  the 
trap.  Here  she  finds  herself  trapped  in  another  apartment,  as  the 
chance  that  she  will  find  the  narrow  mouth  of  the  cone,  and  return, 
is  as  one  in  a  thousand.  The  use  of  the  trap  saves  clipping  the 
queen's  wing,  also  the  looking  for  her  when  the  swarm  is  out,  to- 
gether with  the  possibility  of  her  being  lost.  The  objections  to  the 
trap  are  its  cost,  a  slight  hindrance  to  the  bees  passing-  out  and  in, 
and  its  interference,  somewhat,  with  the  ventilation  of  the  hive.  A 
trap  placed  over  the  entrance  of  a  hive  containing  a  newly  hived 
swarm  will  prevent  loss  if  the  swarm  attempts  to  abscond. 

If  only  one  swarm  would  issue  at  a  time,  there  would  be  no  diffi- 
culty at  all  in  managing-  swarms  with  clipped  queens.  When  two  or 
more  swarms  come  out  at  the  same  time,  and  no  water  is  thrown  be- 
tween them,  they  are  almost  certain  to  unite.  After  circling-  about 
for  awhile,  the  bees  return.  If  each  bee  would  return  to  its  old 
location,  all  would  be  well;  but  when  the  bees  of  one  swarm  begin  to 
go  back,  a  large  share  of  the  bees  in  the  air  follow  them.  A  few 
bees  from  each  swarm,  even  if  several  swarms  have  united,  will 
return  to  their  respective  homes,  but  the  majority  will  "follow  my 
leader."  It  is  impossible  to  give  any  set  rules  to  be  followed  in  such 
emergencies.  If  only  two  swarms  have  united,  the  bees  may  be 
allowed  to  enter  the  new  hive  until  it  is  estimated  that  one-half  the 
bees  are  in  the  hive,  when  it  may  be  set  upon  a  new  stand,  and 
given  one  of  the  queens,  then  another  hive  set  upon  the  old  stand  and 
the  rest  of  the  bees  be  allowed  to  enter.  It  should  not  be  forgotten 
that,  as  a  rule,  other  things  being-  equal,  a  bee  is  worth  as  much  in 
one  hive  as  in  another.  Some  bee-keepers,  when  several  swarms 
come  to  one  place,  take  supers  from  other  hives,  where  the  bees  are 
working-  none  the  best,  and  place  them  upon  the  hive  where  the  bees 
are  entering.  As  soon  as  the  supers  are  full  of  bees  they  are 
returned  to  the  hives  from  whence  they  were  taken.  A  colony  made 
unusually  strong  by  uniting  swarms,  will  store  more  honey,  but  will 
be  no  stronger  at  the  end  of  the  season. 

Another  plan  of  managing-,  where  several  swarms  come  out  at  the 
same  time,  is  not  to  allow  the  bees  to  return  to  their  old  locations, 
but  put  the  caged  queens  in  baskets,  each  (jueen  in  a  separate 
basket,  and  hang  the  baskets  on  the  branches  of  a  tree  where  the 
bees  show  a  disposition  to  congregate.  The  bees  soon  find  and 
cluster  about  the  queens  in  the  baskets.  As  soon  as  a  queen  is 
found  with  sufficient  bees  to  form  a  good  swarm,  remove  the  basket 


76  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

to  a  shady  place,  and  cover  with  a  cloth.  Then  remove  the  next 
basket  that  secures  the  proper  (|iiota,  and  so  on  to  the  end.  Or 
the  bees  may  be  allowed  to  cluster  about  a  sing-le  cjueen  in  a  sing-le 
basket,  then  the  cluster  divided  up,  and  each  division  furnished  a 
queen. 

When  natural  swarming'  is  allowed  in  a  large  apiary,  and  there 
is  some  one  in  constant  attendance  during  the  swarming  season,  I 
know  of  no  more  satisfactory  method  of  managing  than  b}'  the  use  of 
a  swarm-catcher.  With  this  arrangement  there  is  no  catching  of 
queens,  no  climbing  of  trees,  nor  mixing  of  swarms — the  control  is 
perfect.  The  catcher  is  a  light  frame-work,  about  three  and  one- 
half  feet  long,  sixteen  inches  S(iuare  at  the  large,  or  outer,  end,  then 
tapered  down  to  about  three  by  sixteen  inches  at  the  small  end. 
The  outer  end  is  closed  with  a  removable  door  covered  with  wire 
cloth.  The  rest  of  the  frame  is  covered  with  canvas  or  ducking. 
The  small  end  is  so  made  that  it  fits  nicely  to  the  entrance  of  a 
hive,  and  a  portion  of  the  cloth  covering  extends  bej^ond  the  small 
end,  and  forms  a  sort  of  flap  that  can  be  drawn 
over  the  mouth  of  the  catcher,  and  fastened  to 
keep  the  bees  in  after  the^^  have  entered.  In  a 
large  apiar^^  there  ought  to  be  as  many  as  half  a 
dozen  catchers  scattered  about  the  yard.  When 
a  swarm  is  seen  issuing,  a  catcher  is  quickl}'  adjusted  to  the  en- 
trance of  the  swarming-hive.  In  five  minutes  the  whole  swarm  is  in 
the  catcher,  when  the  catcher  is  closed  and  set  in  the  shade,  or  car- 
ried to  some  cool  place,  like  a  cellar.  The  (jueen  is  usually  among 
the  last  to  leave  the  hive,  so  there  is  seldom  a  failure  in  catching"  her. 
If  swarms  come  thick  and  fast,  there  is  no  objection  to  leaving  the 
swarms  several  hours  without  hiving,  provided  they  are  not  left  in 
the  sun.  Although  there  is  probably  no  necessity  for  it,  they  can 
be  kept  two  days  in  a  cellar.  When  the  bees  have  been  "cooled 
down"  in  this  manner,  and  are  then  shaken  down  in  front  of  the  hive 
that  is  to  be  their  home,  they  march  in  with  scarcelj'  a  bee  taking" 
wing.  Where  some  one  can  be  in  attendance,  the  swarm-catcher 
reduces  the  hiving  business  to  an  exact  system. 

While  I  do  not  approve  of  old  fashioned  swarming,  with  undip- 
ped queens,  in  a  larg"e  apiary,  still,  if  a  man  ivill  persist  in  following 
that  plan,  I  will  give  him  the  best  advice  that  I  can;  and,  by  the  way, 
I  can  speak  from  experience,  as  I  clung  to  that  method  until  its  dis- 
advantages forced  me  to  abandon  it.  When  queens  are  allowed  to 
accompany  swarms,  -water  \^  the  great  agent  hy  which  the  bees  can 
be  controlled.  Quite  a  number  of  pails  filled  with  water  should  be 
kept  standing  in  different  parts  of  the  apiary.     There  ought,  also,  to 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  77 

be  three  or  four  barrels  of  water  standing-  about  the  apiary.  Wait- 
ing-one-quarter  of  a  minute  for  water,  sometimes  means  the  loss  of 
a  swarm,  For  throwing- the  water,  Whitman's  fountain  pump  is  the 
best.  With  this  a  stream  of  water  can  be  thrown  30  or  40  feet.  If 
two  swarms  issue  at  the  same  time,  thej-  can  frequently  be  kept 
apart  by  the  use  of  the  pump.  It  is  not  necessary  to  throw  a  stream 
of  water  directly  into  the  center  of  a  swarm,  but  along  one  side  of  it, 
with  a  sort  of  sweeping  movement  of  the  arm,  that  makes  the  stream 
fall  in  a  sort  of  shower.  The  bees  dislike  water  and  edge  away 
from  it.  In  this  waj'  thej^  can  be  driven  in  an^'  direction.  Two  or 
three  pails  of  water  thrown  in  this  manner  upon  a  swarm  seems 
to  disconcert  the  bees,  and  the}-  begin  looking  for  an  alig-hting  place. 
If  the  operator  once  has  a  swarm  well  in  hand,  there  is  plenty  of 
water,  and  he  knows  how  to  use  it,  it  is  well  nigh  impossible  for  a 
swarm  to  get  away. 

When  queens  are  allowed  to  accompany  swarms,  there  oug-ht  to 
be  no  tall  trees  near  the  apiary,  as  the  swarms  zt-/// cluster  where 
it  is  difficult,  even  dangerous,  to  get  them.  It  should  be  possible  to 
reach  the  tops  of  all  trees  with  a  long,  light  ladder.  If  the  tops  of 
the  trees  can  all  be  reached  from  a  step  ladder,  so  much  the  better. 
Besides  the  pails  of  water,  the  fountain  pump,  and  ladders,  the  bee- 
keeper will  need  three  or  four  baskets.  Clothes  baskets  are  ex- 
cellent. Upon  one  side  should  be  sewed  a  cover  of  burlap.  When 
the  swarm  has  been  shaken  into  the  basket,  the  cover  can  be  thrown 
over  the  top  of  the  basket,  and  will  keep  the  bees  from  fl^'ing  out. 
Blocks  of  wood  nailed  to  the  corners  of  the  cover  hold  it  from  being 
blown  off  or  from  dropping  into  the  basket,  should  the  bees  cluster 
upon  the  cover.  If  set  in  a  cool  place,  a  swarm  may  be  left  in  such  a 
basket  several  hours.  When  the  hive  is  in  readiness  to  receive  the 
swarm,  the  cover  to  the  basket  may  be  turned  back,  and  the  bees 
shaken  down  in  front  of  the  hive.  A  few  of  the  bees  soon  find  the 
entrance,  and  set  up  their  "call"  of  a  home  is  found,  when  the  others 
follow  them  into  the  hive.  If  another  swarm  comes  out,  and 
attempts  to  join  the  one  just  entering  its  hive,  a  large  sheet  ma}"  be 
thrown  over  the  hive. 

Where  several  swarms  come  out  at  the  same  time  and  unite,  the 
best  that  can  be  done  is  to  divide  them  up  as  nearh^  equal  as  possible, 
into  several  swarms.  When  a  queen  is  found  she  is  to  be  cag-ed. 
Any  swarm  that  has  no  queen  will  soon  show  its  queenlessness  by 
its  restlessness.  The  bees  will  beg-in  running  out  of  the  hive  and 
taking  wing.  One  of  the  caged  queens  should  then  be  given  such  a 
swarm,  when,  as  by  magic,  the  bees  will  change  their  behavior  and 
go  into  the  hive. 


78 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Wt 


Cluster   of  Naturally  Built  Queen   Cells  From  One  of 
Which  a  Queen  Has  Hatched. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  79 


^©nmmerclsil  Qmeeini  Meenrln! 


OMMERCIAL  ([ueen  rearing-  is  most  decidedU^  a  distinct 
branch  of  apiculture;  as  different  from  hone\'  production 
as  one  profession  is  from  another.  Tunc  isamost  important 
factor  in  the  rearing-  of  queens;  hence  it  is  only  in  the 
South,  where  the  seasons  are  long,  that  the  business  can  be  carried 
on  at  the  greatest  profit.  It  has  been  almost  entirely  abandoned  in  the 
Northern  States,  as  a  man  with  a  good  location  for  honey  can  make 
more  money  i)roducing  honej'  than  he  can  rearing  c^ueens.  He 
might  make  more  money  per  colony  rearing  (/ueens  than  in  honey 
production,  but  he  can  care  for  so  many  more  colonies  when  they 
are  worked  for  honey,  that  there  is  no  comparison  between  the  two 
in  the  short  seasons  of  the  North.  A  resident  of  the  North  occupy- 
ing a  location  affording  a  light  but  continuous  flow  of  honey  through- 
out the  season,  might  be  justified  in  rearing  queens  instead  of  pro- 
ducing honey,  but  he  could  never  rear  the  number  of  queens  that  he 
might  rear  in  the  South,  simply  because  the  seasons  are  not  long- 
enough. 

The  income  from  (jueen  rearing  is  more  of  a  certainty  than  that 
from  honey  production.  If  the  blossoms  yield  sparingljs  no  surplus 
can  be  secured,  but  nearly,  or  quite,  as  many  queens  can  be  reared. 
Although  a  steady,  moderate  flow  of  honey  is  the  most  desirable  for 
queen  rearing,  yet  queens  can  be  reared  at  a  profit  by  feeding-  the 
bees. 

In  no  branch  of  apiculture  has  there  been  such  decided  chang-es 
and  improvements,  in  the  last  few  years,  as  in  that  of  queen  rearing-. 
Instead  of  scattering  clusters  of  queen  cells  built  upon  some  irreg-u- 
larity  of  the  comb,  artificially   made  cells  are  attached   in  a  long  row 


80 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


I 


to  a  stick,  supplied  with  tin}-  larvae,  built  out  and  cared  for  in  a 
colony  that  has  not  even  been  deprived  of  its  queen;  and,  best  of  all, 
the  fertilization  of  a  queen  is  now  secured  by  using-  a  mere  handful 
of  bees,  where  once  were  used  at  least  two  full-sized  combs  and  a 
quart  or  two  of  bees. 

For  making- the  artificial  cells  there  is  needed  a  "dipping-stick," 
which  is  a  round  stick,  5-16  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  with  a  peculiar 
taper  at  one  end.  The  tapering-  part  should  be  about  5-16  of  an  inch 
long,  reduced  rapidly  for  the  first  /i  of  an  inch,  and  then  gradually 
reduced  to  the  end.  It  should  slip  into  a  worker  cell  Vs  of  an  inch 
before  filling-  the  mouth  of  the  cell.  These  dipping-  sticks 
can  be  made  with  a  lathe,  from  any  kind  of  hard  wood. 
Heart-cedar  is  best,  as  the  water  is  slow  to  penetrate  it,  con- 
sequently, there  is  a  little  swelling-.  To  dip  the  cells,  bees- 
wax must  be  kept  just  above  the  melting-  point  by  placing  the 
dish  containing  it  over  a  lighted  lamp.  Keep  a  little  water 
in  the  dish,  as  this  will  be  a  guide  to  the  temperature.  No 
bubbling  should  be  allowed.  The  stick,  after  being 
thoroughly  soaked  in  water,  is  dipped  rather  less  than  /4 
inch  deep  into  the  wax;  four  dips  usually  completing  the  cell 
and  attaching  it  to  the  wooden  bar  upon  which  it  is  to  be  sup- 
ported while  in  the  hive.  Dip  three  times,  then  loosen  up 
the  cup  on  the  stick,  then  dip  again,  and  immediately  press 
the  base  of  the  cell  upon  the  stick  at  the  point  where  it  is  de- 
sired to  have  the  cell  remain.  The  cooling  of  the  wax  at- 
taches the  cell  to  the  stick.  If  the  stick  or  slat  to  which  the 
cells  are  to  be  attached  is  soaked  in  melted  wax  until  the  fry- 
ing or  bubbling  ceases,  before  attempting  to  attach  the  cells, 
the}'  will  adhere  much  better.  If  the  queens  are  to  be  allowed 
to  hatch  while  the  cells  are  still  attached  to  the  stick,  they 
being  protected  by  some  sort  of  a  nursery,  then  there  must 
be  some  kind  of  notches,  or  marks,  on  the  stick  to  guide  the 
operator  in  getting  the  cells  attached  at  exactly  the  right 
places.  An  excellent  method  of  managing  this  part  of  the 
business  is  to  have  a  whole  "battery"  of  dipping  sticks 
thrust  through  holes  bored  at  regular  intervals  in  a  wooden  bar, 
when  the  whole  row  of  cells  can  be  dipped  at  only  one  operation. 
Five  of  these  "batteries"  can  be  kept  in  operation  at  one  time;  by  the 
time  the  last  one  has  been  dipped,  the  first  one  has  cooled  sufficiently 
to  be  dipped  again.  After  the  fourth  dip,  while  the  wax  is  still  hot  and 
soft,  the  bases  of  the  cells  are  pressed  down  upon  the  stick.  As  soon 
as  the  wax  has  cooled  enough  so  that  the  cells  will  stick  to  the  wooden 
slat,  the  slat  is  lowered  into  the  wax  until  the  wax  covers  it  from  end 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


81 


82  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

to  end,  then  dipped  into  water  to  harden  the  wax  sufficiently  so  that 
the  wax  will  not  twist  when  the  sticks  are  removed.  Each  stick  is 
removed  separately  by  turninjif  it  back  and  forth  while  it  is  beinjjT 
slightly  withdrawn. 

Right  here  let  me  say  that  much  of  the  material  in  this  chapter 
is  taken  from  articles  furnished  the  Bee-Keepers'  Revitw  by  Mr. 
W.  H.  Pridgen,  of  Creek,  North  Carolina,  and  his  plan  of  furnishing 
these  cell-cups  with  young  larvae  is  that  of  transferring  the  lining 
to  the  bottom  of  a  cell,  with  the  larva  lying  undisturbed  upon  the 
lining.  Somebody  has  called  it  "taking  up  the  baby,  cradle  and  all." 
To  make  a  success  of  this,  the  comb  must  be  old  enough  so  that  the 
outside  of  the  cocoon  is  black  and  glossy.  By  shaving  down  the  cells 
with  a  keen  edged  knife,  slightly  heated,  until  the  walls  of  the  cells 
are  only  about  's  of  an  inch  in  depth,  it  is  an  easy  matter  to  remove  a 
cocoon  with  the  accompanying  larva.  In  fact,  by  bending  the  piece 
of  comb  back  and  forth  the  cocoons  can  often  be  forced  to  drop  out 
of  their  own  accord.  To  take  up  these  tiny  larvae,  and  transfer 
them  to  the  cups,  nothing  is  better  than  one  of  the  dipping  sticks 
already  described.  By  making  a  little  funnel  shaped  cavity  in  the 
opposite  end  from  that  used  in  dipping  the  cells,  the  larva  and 
cocoon  can  be  lifted  by  pressing  this  cavity  down  over  them,  much 
as  a  gun  cap  is  pressed  down  over  the  tube.  After  placing  the  end 
of  the  stick  in  one  of  the  cups,  a  slight  pressure  and  a  little  twist, 
leaves  the  cocoon  snugly  ensconced  in  the  bottom  of  the  cell-cup. 

There  will  be  better  success  in  having  the  cups  accepted,  and 
better  results  will  be  secured,  if  they  first  be  given  to  bees  deprived 
of  both  queen  and  unsealed  brood  from  six  to  twelve  hours  previously. 
Nursing  then  begins  the  moment  that  cells  are  given.  There  are 
several  methods  of  securing  such  conditions,  but  one  excellent  plan 
is  to  fill  a  hive  with  combs  of  brood,  and  set  it  over  another  colony, 
putting  a  (lueen  excluder  between  the  two  stories.  After  the  brood 
is  all  sealed  in  the  upper  story,  it  is  placed  ujxm  a  new  stand,  the 
queen  cells  cut  out  ( if  any  there  are),  and  one  or  two  combs  re- 
moved to  make  room  for  the  frame  in  which  is  fastened  the  row,  or 
rows,  of  prepared  cells.  After  the  bees  have  been  left  (jueenless  for 
a  few  hours,  they  are  ready  to  accept  the  cell-cui)s  iiistaiil/y.  If  al- 
lowed to  do  so,  these  bees  would,  of  course,  go  on  and  comi)lete  the 
cells,  but,  after  the  work  is  nicely  started,  it  has  been  found  that 
the}'  and  the  adhering  bees  may  be  i)laced  in  the  upper  story  of  an 
ordinary  cok)ny,  when  the  bees  will  go  on  and  complete  them,  pro- 
vided, the  (lueen  is  kei)t  in  the  lower  story  by  means  of  a  (|ueen-ex- 
cluder.  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  if  one  portion  of  the  brood  nest  of 
^  colony  of  bees  is  partitioned  off  with  a  queen  excluder,  the  bees  in 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  83 

that  portion  shut  off  from  the  <iueen  will  proceed  to  construct  cells 
and  rear  queens.  The  only  objection  to  placing-  the  cell-cups  there 
when  first  supplied  with  larvae  is  that  the  bees  might  be  too  slow  in 
accepting  these  cells  and  feeding  the  larvae,  and  the  result  would  be 
inferior  queens.  After  the  work  is  once  started  by  (jueenless  bees, 
as  just  explained,  then  these  other  bees  will  at  once  carry  on  and 
complete  the  work.  After  the  just-started  cells  have  been  removed 
from  the  hive  of  queenless  bees  and  gives  to  another  colony,  the 
hive  of  queenless  bees  may  be  set  back  upon  the  colony 
from  which  it  was  taken,  the  queen  excluder  left  between  it  and  the 
lower  stor3%  when  it  will  be  ready  for  starting  a  new  batch  of  cells 
by  simply  setting  it  upon  a  new  stand  several  hours  before  the  pre- 
pared cups  are  given  to  it.  In  ten  or  twelve  dax^s  all  of  the  brood 
will  have  hatched  in  this  set  of  combs,  and  another  set  must  be 
started  in  time  to  be  read^-  to  take  its  place.  \ 

As  the  time  approaches  for  the  hatching  of  the  queens,  the  cells 
must  be  removed  from  the  bees,  or  protected  in  some  manner,  other- 
wise, the  first  queen  that  hatches  will,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
bees,  tear  down  the  other  cells  and  destroy  their  occupants.  Years 
ago,  many  queen  breeders  used  what  was  called  a  lamp-nursery, 
that  is,  a  hive,  or  box,  with  double  walls  of  tin,  the  space  between  the 
walls  being  filled  with  water  which  was  kept  between  90  and  100  de- 
g-rees  by  means  of  a  lamp.  The  use  of  this  device  has  been  aban- 
doned for  the  simpler  and  more  reliable  plan  of  leavingthe  cells  with 
the  bees,  but  protecting  each  cell  by  means  of  some  mechanical 
device. 

Mr.  Arthur  Stanley-  of  Dixon,  Illinois,  attaches  the  cell-cups  to 
the  round,  card-board  gun-wads,  one  cup  to  each  wad,  then  attaches 
the  wads  to  a  stick  in  something  the  same  wa}'  as  Mr.  Pridgen  at- 
taches his  cups  to  a  stick,  then,  when  the  cells  are  nearly  ready  to 
hatch,  he  detaches  the  wads  from  the  stick,  and  puts  each  cell  into  a 
small  cylinder  made  of  queen  excluding  metal.  These  filled  cylin- 
ders are  placed  in  rows,  between  two  sticks  (slipped  in  through  holes 
made  in  the  upper  slat)  and  left  in  charge  of  the  bees.  The  bees 
have  access  at  all  times  to  the  cells,  and  to  the  queens  when  they 
hatch,  but  the  size  of  the  latter  prevents  their  passing  out  through 
the  openings. 

Mr.  Pridgen  makes  a  nursery  b}'  taking  a  piece  of  board  5^  of 
an  inch  thick,  two  inches  wide,  and  as  long  as  a  top-bar  of  a  brood 
frame,  cutting  out  a  long  notch,  from  one  edge,  a  little  more  than  an 
inch  in  depth,  and  nearl^^  the  whole  length  of  the  board,  tacking 
wire  cloth  on  each  side,  and  dividing  off  the  space  between  the 
wire  cloth  by  means  of   tin  divisions.     These    tin  divisions   are  Vs  of 


84 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Cell-Cups  and  Finished  Cells. 


Cages  of  Queen-Excluding:  Metal. 
STANLEY  INCUBATOR  AND  BROODER. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  85 

an  inch  in  width,  a  little  more  than  an  inch  in  height,  and  are  let 
down  slightly  into  saw  kerfs  cut  in  the  upper  surface  of  the  wood. 
The  divisions  are  kept  in  place  b3'  little  points  of  tin  that  project 
from  their  upper  corners  through  the  meshes  of  the  w'ire  cloth  and 
are  then  bent  over  or  clasped  ag-ainst  the  wire  cloth.  Below  each 
little  cage  thus  formed  is  bored  a  small  hole,  through  the  wood,  and 
in  the  hole  is  placed  a  plug  havings  an  opening  hollowed  out  in  its 
upper  end  and  tilled  with  soft  candy.  As  the  cells  are  all  built  ex- 
acth'  -"^8  of  an  inch  apart,  in  a  straight  row,  attached  to  a  stick,  it  will 
be  readily  seen  how  easy  it  is  to  lower  all  of  these  at  once  into  the 
nursery,  each  cell  occupying  a  cage  -^s  of  an  inch  square  and  a  little 
more  than  an  inch  in  depth.  As  the  queens  will  all  hatch  within  a 
few  hours  of  one  another,  the  cells  can  be  left  in  the  nursery  until 
the  queens  have  all  hatched,  or,  even  longer,  if  necessar}-.  To 
remove  a  queen,  pull  out  the  plug  below  her  cage,  when  she  will 
crawl  out  and  ma}"  be  caught  and  put  into  a  cage,  or  W'here  ever 
desired. 

Nothwithstanding  the  great  improvements  made  in  securing  the 
building  of  queen  cells,  and  in  caring  for  virgin  queens,  they  are  no 
more  wonderful  than  the  late  methods  of  securing  the  fertilization  of 
queens — the  most  expensive  part  of  commercial  queen  rearing. 
Once  it  was  necessary  to  have  at  least  two,  full-sized  combs  and  a 
quart  or  two  of  bees  for  each  nucleus;  now  the  fertilization  of  a  queen 
is  secured  b}'  the  use  of  not  more  than  200  bees;  one  colon}'  fur- 
nishing sufficient  bees  to  secure  the  fertilization  of  200  or  300  queens. 
This  plan  allows  the  introduction  of  queens  from  live  to  seven  days 
old,  and  does  away  with  all  trouble  from  lajnng  workers. 

It  is  a  little  difficult  to  say  to  whom  belongs  the  credit  for  this 
new  method  of  caring  for  queens  while  being  mated.  Mr.  C.  B. 
Bankston,  of  Texas,  published  the  first  description  that  I  remember 
having  seen;  but  he  had,  at  this  time,  a  partner,  a  Mr.  John  W, 
Pharr.  who  says  he  helped  in  the  development  of  the  idea.  Mr.  W. 
H.  Laws,  of  the  same  State,  also  helped  in  perfecting  the  plan  and  in 
bringing-  it  to  public  notice.  Mr.  E.  L.  Pratt,  of  Swarthmore,  Penn- 
s^'lvania,  has  also  done  his  share  in  making  a  success  of  mating 
queens  from  small  nuclei.  Like  manj-  other  inventions,  it  seems  to 
have  been  the  work  of  several  men.  Mr.  W.  H.  Laws  published  a 
description  of  the  plan,  in  the  Bee-Keepers'  Review,  and  it  is  mosth' 
from  that  article  that  the  following  is  taken. 

The  nucleus  boxes  or  hives  pla^'  an  important  part  in  this 
system  of  mating  queens,  yet  they  are  very  simple  in  construction. 
Imagine  two  little  trays,  -4  of  an  inch  in  depth,  11 V  inches  long,  and 
4U  inches  wide,  hinged  at  the  bottom  with  leather  strips,  and  made 


86 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


OQ 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  8V 

so  as  to  clamp  a  frame  of  hone}-  (of  the  same  dimensions  >  between 
them  so  tig-htlv  that  it  can  not  move.  The  outside  surface  of  the 
frame  becomes  a  part  of  the  box,  and  all  is  held  fast  b}-  a  spring- 
hook  and  staple  at  the  top.  An  entrance  for  the  bees  is  made  in  the 
end-bar  of  the  frame  b^'  boring  a  hole  with  a  5-16  bit.  A  little  button 
of  sheet-zinc  is  fastened  near  the  entrance.  One  end  of  the  button 
is  solid,  closing  the  entrance,  while  the  other  end  has  a  single, 
queen-excluding  slot.  When  the  button  is  turned  crosswise,  the 
entrance  is  left  wide  open. 

To  get  these  little  combs  of  honej"  for  the  baby  nuclei,  frames 
are  made  to  fit  crosswise  in  an  8-frame,  half-depth  super,  and  old 
combs  are  transferred  into  them  and  given  to  ordinary-  colonies  dur- 
ing a  honey  flow.  Of  course,  sheets  of  foundation  ma^-  be  used,  but 
old  combs,  well-attached,  are  preferable. 

Equipped  with  as  many  of  these  boxes,  alreadv  prepared,  as  we 
have  virgin  queens  in  our  nurseries,  we  proceed  to  shake  all  of  the 
bees  from  the  combs  of  a  populous,  giieeiilcss  colony-  (after  first 
making  the  bees  fill  themselves  with  honey),  putting  the  beeless 
combs  into  an  empt}-  hive,  and  setting  it  upon  the  old  stand,  to  which 
enough  bees  will  return  to  care  for  the  brood.  The  old  hive,  con- 
taining the  hone^-laden,  queenless  bees,  is  now  moved  to  some 
shad}',  convenient  spot,  where,  with  a  small  tin  cup,  we  dip  from  the 
cluster  a  small  wad  of  bees,  sa^-  about  the  size  of  anunhulled  walnut, 
containing  about  100  to  150  bees,  never  more  than  200,  open  one  of 
the  little  boxes,  and  pour  the  bees  right  into  the  box.  upon  the  comb 
of  honey,  close  the  box,  snap  the  hook,  and  lay  it  aside.  We  keep  on 
dipping  and  filling  until  all  of  the  boxes  are  filled.  The  bees  being 
loaded  with  honey,  dip  niceh';  and.  not  being  able  to  climb  the 
smooth,  inside  of  the  cup.  they  handle  about  like  so  manv  beans. 

Soon  the  bees  in  the  boxes  are  all  buzzing  and  roaring,  and  thus 
lamenting  their  queenlessness  and  confinement,  when  we  are  ready 
to  introduce  the  virgin  queens,  which  is  done  by  running  them  into 
the  5-16  inch,  round  entrances  to  the  boxes.  AVhen  the  virgins  are 
all  run  in.  and  the  entrances  closed,  the  boxes  may  lie  in  the  shade 
until  the  evening  of  the  next  day.  or  even  48  hours,  and  no  harm  will 
result.  The  bees,  being  queenless  aud  confined.  alwa^'S  accept  the 
virgin  queen,  regardless  of  her  age.  or  from  whence  she  has  come. 

Within  24  hours,  the  bees  in  each  bab}-  nucleus  have  concluded 
that  escape  is  impossible,  and.  resolving  that  "what  can't  be  cured 
must  be  endured,"  they  accept  the  situation,  together  with  the 
queen,  and  quiet  down.  Later  the  nuclei  may  be  carried  out  300  or 
400  yards,  and  the  entrances  opened  as  the  nuclei  are  scattered 
under  the  brush,  lodged  in    the  forks   of   trees,  or   pitched  into   the 


88 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


weeds-anywhere,   in  any    position,  only    be   sure   they   are   in   the 
shade,  where  they  remain  a  few  days  until  the  queens  are  laym*,-. 

These  little,  miniature  swarms  with  virgin  (lueens  behave  very 
much  like  newly  hived  swarms.  Queenless  when  caged,  and  re- 
maiming  24  hours  with  a  virgin  queen,. every  bee  seems  to  consider 
the  box  as  home,  and  one  or  two  bees  are  always  on  guard  at  the 
entrance. 


\ 


**<w^»         fmm.'S 


W       '^-^S;^-. 


\i,„„A, 
"  mPf  'II 


%  ft  ->-»»-rt-'- 


♦     y 


Cell-Cups,  Completed  Cells,  and  Queen  r 

To  gain  time,  the  virgin  ([ueens  are,  as  a  rule,  several    days  old  | 

when  introduced  to  the  nuclei,  hence  are  ready  to  fly  the  next  day 
after  the  nuclei  are  distributed.  The  third  day  after,  the  little  zinc 
slots  can  be  turned  over  the  entrances  so  as  to  allow  the  workers  to 
fly,  but  to  retain  the  queens,  thus  preventing  absconding.     As  soon 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


89 


as  another  batch  of  virgin  queens  is  read\%  these  little   boxes,  when 
emptied  of  bees,  are  readj^  to  be  re-tilled  and  used  as  before. 

Another  advantage  of  this  method  is  the  ease  with  which  queens 
may  be  mated  to  select  drones.  It  is  the  transportability  of  the 
nuclei  that  allows  this.  A  man  can  carry  from  15  to  25  on  his  arm, 
like  a  load  of  stove  wood;  or  hundreds  of  them  may  be  piled  into  a 
spring- wag-on,  together  with  a  colony  of  choice  drones,  and    carried 


fJT'^' 


used  by  W.   H.   Pridgen.  of  Creek,  N,   C. 

out  three  or  four  miles  from  any  other  bees.  Possibly  the  next  day 
every  queen  will  mate,  and  that  to  the  very  drones  of  our  choice, 
when  all  may  be  brought  in,  and,  if  so  desired,  queens  and  drones  of 
another  race  may  then  be  mated  upon  the  same  ground.  Another 
thing,  when  the  baby  nuclei  are  carried  away  from  all  other  bees,  to 


90  ADVANCED  BKE  CULTURE. 

the  "matin<j:  j^rounds."  no  robbing-  occurs,  even  though  there  be  a 
dearth  of  honey.  Open  air  feedinjr  could  also  be  emploj-ed  to 
advantage  in  such  a  location. 

It  will  be  seen  that  by  this  system  there  are  never  any  perma- 
nent nuclei.  A  tiny  cluster  of  bees  is  used  to  secure  the  mating  of 
one  (|ueen,  then  the  bees  are  shaken  out  (in  front  of  the  hive  from 
which  they  were  taken  if  the  operator  cares  to  take  the  trouble  >,  and 
the  boxes  tilled  with  a  fresh  lot  of  bees. 

With  all  of  the  advantages  of  the  "baby  nucleus"  system,  there 
is  one  serious  drawback,  and  that  is  of  the  nuclei  being  robl)ed  at 
a  time  when  no  honey  is  coming  in.  During  a  honey  flow,  or  if  the 
nuclei  are  in  an  isolated  location,  this  system  is  well-nigh  jierfection, 
but,  under  other  conditions,  the  old-style,  well-stocked  nuclei  have 
their  advantages.  It  might  also  be  added  that  while  the  old-style 
nuclei  recjuire  more  bees,  they  can  also  be  managed  with  less  labor 
after  they  are  once  established.  I  certainly  consider  the  old  system 
of  sufficient  importance  to  describe  it. 

In  the  first  place,  let  me  say  that  nothing  is  gained  with  any 
system  by  beginning  tjueen  rearing  too  early  in  the  season.  Wait 
until  the  weather  is  warm  and  settled  and  the  colonies  populous.  In 
this  latitude.  May  10th  is,  as  a  rule,  early  enough  to  start  (jueen 
cells.  The  first  nuclei  that  are  formed  sh(nild  be  more  i^ojnilous 
than  they  may  be  used  later  in  the  season.  Three  combs  are  none 
too  many  to  use  at  first;  later  these  nuclei  may  be  divided.  About 
three  or  four  days  before  the  first  batch  of  (jueens  are  to  hatch, 
enough  colonies  should  be  made  (jueenless  to  furnish  l)ees  for  the 
nuclei,  as  (lueenless  bees  adhere  much  better  to  a  new  location. 
Many  of  the  old  bees  will  return,  but,  as  most  of  the  brood  is  sealed, 
enough  bees  (if  they  are  queenless)  will  remain.  When  making  up 
the  nuclei,  if  the  bees  have  been  (jueenless,  I  would  give  each  nucleus 
a  cell  nearly  ready  to  hatch,  or  else  a  young  (|ueen,  at  the  time  of 
making  the  nuclei,  as  it  seems  to  be  something  of  an  in<luoenu'nt  for 
them  to  remain  in  the  new  location.  As  many  bees  return  to  the 
old  stand,  I  leave  some  brood  and  honey  in  the  hive,  also  i)ut  in  some 
empty  combs,  and  give  the  bees  a  laying  (jueen.  This  colony  soon 
builds  up  and  jirospers. 

When  a  (|ueen  begins  la\ing,  she  is  allowed  to  llll  the  combs  with 
eggs  before  shipment,  then  if  a  young  t|Ueen  is  introduci'd  soon  after 
her  removal,  the  nucleus  receives  another  "sitting"  of  eggs  in  ten 
days  more.  By  this  management  all  nuclei  are  kept  well  supplied 
with  brood. 

When  honey  is  coming  in  freely  I  have  lost  few  (jueens  by  allow- 
ing  them  to   run  into   the  nuclei  at  the   same    time   that    the  laying 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  91 

queens  are  removed.  After  a  queen  is  two  days  old  it  is  rather  diffi- 
cult to  introduce  her  to  these  populous,  well-established  nuclei. 
Mr.  Alley  makes  a  success  of  it  b^^  smokinof  the  bees  with  tobacco 
until  they  bey:in  to  show  signs  of  stupefacation.  The  nucleus  then 
has  its  entrance  closed  with  a  plantain  leaf,  as  the  bees  are  in  no 
condition  to  defend  their  home.  B}'  the  time  the  leaf  wilts  and  re- 
leases the  bees  they  are  ag"ain  able  to  defend  themseves. 

As  a  rule,  a  queen  beg^ins  laying-  when  ten  da^'s  old,  but  hot 
weather  and  a  good  honey  flow  often  shorten  this  period.  I  have 
frequently  had  them  laying  in  eight  days,  and,  in  a  ver}-  few 
instances,  in  onh'  seven  days.  During  a  drouth,  when  no  honey  was 
gathered,  I  have  known  queens  to  be  three  weeks  old  before  begin- 
ning to  lay.  At  such  times  it  certainly  pa\s  the  queen  breeder  to 
feed  the  nuclei  in  which  there  are  queens  old  enough  to  lay.  When 
engaged  in  queen  rearing  I  had  some  shallow  boxes,  each  of  which 
was  just  large  enough  to  cover  the  top  of  the  nucleus.  These  boxes 
were  filled  half  full  of  cand^*,  and  when  a  nucleus  was  found  during  a 
dearth  of  honey,  containing  a  queen  old  enough  to  la3%  but  ;/<^?/ laying, 
one  of  these  boxes  of  candA'  was  inverted  over  the  nucleus.  Two 
days  later,  the  queen  would  invariably  be  found  laying. 

With  a  large  number  of  nuclei,  it  is  impossible  to  remember  the 
condition  in  which  each  was  left  at  the  last  visit,  A  record  of  some 
kind  must  be  kept,  and  I  know  of  nothing  better  than  the  "Queen 
Registering  Cards,"  sold  by  the  A.  I,  Root  Co,,  Medina,  Ohio.  They 
are  made  of  weather-proof  paper,  and  one  is  tacked  upon  the  side  of 
each  nucleus.  Upon  each  card  are  three  dials.  One  contains  the 
months;  one  the  days  of  the  month;  and  one  the  following  words: 
"Eggs,"  "Brood,"  "Cell,"  "Hatched,"  "La3'ing,"  "iSIissing."  Com- 
mon pins  are  used  as  pointers.  About  -'h  of  an  inch  of  the  point  is 
bent  at  right  angles,  and  then  driven  into  the  center  of  the  dial. 
When  a  cell  is  given,  one  pointer  is  turned  to  the  month;  another 
to  the  da^'  of  the  month;  and  the  third  to  the  word  "Cell."  If  the 
queen  is  found  hatched  at  the  next  examination,  the  date  is  changed, 
and  the  pin  turned  to  "Hatched."  When  found  laying,  and  again 
when  taken  out  and  shipped,  the  pointers  are  turned  accordingly. 
A  glance  at  the  register  alwa^'s  shows  the  condition  of  the  nucleus 
at  the  last  examination.  The  turning  of  these  pins  takes  only  a 
moment,  and  is  away  ahead  of  using  a  pencil. 

In  the  shipping  of  queens,  success  turns  largely  upon  the  food 
that  is  used.  I  have  used  no  food  superior  to  that  obtained  by  mix- 
ing honey  with  pulverized  sugar  until  it  is  of  the  consistency  of  a  stiff 
dough.  The  novice  is  likely  to  make  it  too  thin.  It  is  well-nigh  im- 
possible to  mix  in  too  much  sugar.     The    maker  may   think  it  quite 


92 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


hard  and  dry,  but  he  will  be  surprised  next  day  to  find  it  quite  soft 
and  pliable.  If  too  soft  it  will  daub  the  bees  and  ooze  out  of  the 
cage. 

As  a  shipping-  cage  I  think  the  Benton  stands  at  the  head.  It 
has  three  compartments  all  in  a  row  and  connected  bj'  openings.  In 
one  of  the  end  compartments  is  placed  the  food;  the  other  two  are 
occupied  b}^  the  bees,  but   the  one  next  to  the  food  is   not  ventilated. 


while  the  one  in 
the  food  is  freeh' 
properly,  this  cage 
"climatic  cage,"  as 
to  accommodate 
changes  of  temper- 


the  end  opposite  to 
ventilated.  Verj- 
has  been  called  the 
l^it  enables  the  bees 
themselves  to  the 
ature.     If  it  is  cool. 


they  occupy  the  central  apartment;  if  warm,  they  can  remain  in  the 
ventilated  part  of  the  cage. 

As  to  the  number  of  bees  to  send  in  the  cage  with  the  (lueen, 
that  depends  upon  the  time  of  the  year.  In  the  spring  and  fall, 
more  are  needed;  l)Ut  I  doubt  if  more  than  30  bees  are  ever  needed; 
in  warm  weather,  one-third  that  number  is  sufficient. 

The  honey  producer  who  wishes  to  rear  a  few  (jueens  for  his 
own  use  will  not  find  it  worth  while  to  follow  many  plans  that  are 
profitable  in  the  hands  of  the  professional  cjueen  breeder;  he  can 
divide  up  one  or  more  colonies  into  nuclei,  and  supply  them  with 
cells  taken  from  colonies  that  have  swarmed,  or  he  can  remove  a 
queen  from  a  colony,  and,  when  its  brood  has  all  been  sealed,  cut  out 
the  t|ueen  cells  that  have  been  started  <  as  some  of  them  may  result 
in  inferior  (|ueens),and  give  the  bees  a  comb  of  eggs  and  just 
hatched  larvae  from  some  choice  queen.  The  number  of  cells 
started  will  be  increased  if  small  holes  are  cut  through  the  comb  at 
that  point  where  eggs  are  just  hatching  into  larvae.  When  the  cells 
are  nearly  ready  to  hatch  the}'  can  be  cut  out,  and  one  given  to 
each  nucleus. 

Queen  rearing  does  not  call  for  any  great  outlay  of  physical 
strength,  but  consists  rather  of  constant  attentit)n  to  a  thi)usan(l  and 
one  little  details. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  93 


.i^trodtscii!i@i 


L^  pN^O  introduce  a  queen  to  a  colony  of  bees,  two  things  must  be 
well-considered — the  condition  of  the  bees  and  the  condition 
of  the  queen.  The  condition  and  behavior  of  the  queen  is 
very  important.  If  she  will  only  walk  about  upon  the 
combs  in  a  quiet  and  queenly  manner,  and  go  on  with  her  egg  laying, 
she  is  almost  certain  to  be  accepted  if  other  conditions  are  favorable. 
Let  her  run  and  "squeal,"  utter  that  sharp  "zeep,  zeep,  zeep,"  and 
the  bees  immediately  start  in  pursuit.  Soon  the  queen  is  in  the 
center  of  a  ball  of  tightly  clinging  bees,  and  the  only  course  is  to 
smoke  the  bees  severely  until  they  release  the  queen  from  their 
embrace,  when  she  must  be  re-caged  for  another  trial.  Right  here 
a  caution:  Don't  hold  the  smoker  too  near  the  ball  of  bees,  as  hot 
smoke  seems  to  infuriate  the  bees  into  stinging  the  queen.  Hold 
the  smoker  far  enough  away  so  that  the  smoke  will  become  cooled 
before  reaching  the  bees.  Dropping  the  ball  into  a  cup  of  water  has 
been  recommended  to  induce  the  bees  to  release  the  queen;  to  the 
inexperienced,  this  may  be  the  better  plan,  as  it  often  happens  that 
one  of  the  bees  will  grasp  the  queen  and  endeavor  to  sting  her, 
smoke  or  no  smoke,  and,  in  the  attempt  to  rescue  the  (jueen,  a  novice 
is  (luite  likely  to  injure  her. 

The  Simmins  method  of  introducing  queens  is  an  illustration  of 
how  great  a  part  is  played  by  the  attitude  of  the  queen  towards  the 
workers.  He  removes  the  reigning  queen  a  few  hours  previous  to 
liberating  the  new  queen,  and  then,  just  at  dusk,  so  late  that  the 
bees  are  through  flying,  and  too  late  for  the  queen  to  take  wing,  the 
queen  is  released  at  the  top  of  the  hive  and  allowed  to  rundown 
among  the  combs.  And  here  comes  in  the  important  point:  For 
half  an  hour  before  the  queen  is  released,  she  is  kept  away  from  the 


94  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

bees  and  away  from  food,  hence,  when  she  comes  in  contact  with  the 
bees  she  is  hunjjry  and  at  once  asks  for  food,  instead  of  racinj^ 
about  the  combs.  The  bees  be<rin  to  feed  and  caress  lier,  and  all 
goes  well.  I  believe  Mr.  Simmins  claims  that  this  method  is 
almost  infallible;  and  I  remember  that  I  once  introduced  ten  (lueens 
by  this  plan  without  the  loss  of  a  queen.  It  was  during  a  honey 
flow,  however,  and  many  plans  that  prove  successful  at  such  a  time, 
may  miscarry  at  times  when  no  honey  is  coming  in.  The  moral  is 
to  feed  when  trying  to  introduce  queens  during  a  dearth  of  honey. 

To  introduce  a  queen  from  one  colony  to  another  in  the  same 
apiary  does  not  call  for  the  skill  needed  when  the  queen  has  been 
absent  several  days  from  a  colony,  and  is  jaded  b^'  a  long  journey. 
I  have  frequently  taken  a  queen  from  a  colony,  caged  and  sent  it 
away,  and  then  immediately  taken  a  laying  (jueen  from  a  nucleus 
and  placed  her  upon  the  spot  upon  the  comb  from  whence  I  had 
taken  the  other  queen,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  her  imme- 
diately surrounded  bj-  a  circle  of  admiring  retainers.  I  believe  there 
are  times,  particularly  when  honey  is  coming  in  freely,  when  a 
colony  with  a  laying  queen  would  accept  auother  fresh  lajang  (lueen, 
simply  by  having  her  placed  upon  the  combs;  and  all  would  go  well 
until  the  (jueens  came  in  contact.  Then  there  would  be  a  conflict  in 
which  the  chances  of  the  new-comer  would  be  equally  as  good  as  those 
of  the  old  queen. 

So  far  as  the  ijueen  is  concerned,  it  is  important  that  she  be 
brought  before  the  bees  in  a  natural  manner;  in  such  a  place  and  in 
such  a  way  as  they  would  expect  to  meet  her.  When  clipping 
queens,  I  have  often  replaced  one  in  the  hive  by  dropping  her  upon 
the  tops  of  the  frames,  when  the  bees  would  immediately  pounce 
upon  her  as  an  intruder.  A  puff  of  smoke  would  cause  the  bees  to 
"let  up,"  when  the  queen  would  walk  majestically  down  between 
the  combs,  and  there  she  was  not  molested,  because  there  was  where 
the  bees  expected  to  find  a  queen.  When  I  wish  to  introduce  a 
queen  by  allowing  her  to  run  in  at  the  entrance,  I  first  shake  off  the 
bees,  from  two  combs,  in  front  of  the  hive,  and,  as  they  are  running 
into  the  hive,  I  allow  the  queen  to  run  in  with  them.  At  such  times 
there  are  no  guards  at  the  entrance,  the  bees  that  are  crawling  in 
will  not  attack  the  queen,  and  bv  the  time  the  colony  has  recovered 
its  tran<|uility,  the  queen  is  quietly  parading  the  combs. 

When  a  colony  has  been  queenless  long  enough  to  build  a  batch 
of  queen  cells,  I  usually  introduce  a  (jueen  by  simply  taking  a  comb, 
with  the  adhering  bees  and  (jueen,  from  a  nucleus,  and  hanging  it  in 
the  queenless  colony.  By  means  of  smoke,  or  a  feather,  I  drive  all 
of  the  bees  from  one  of  the  inside  walls  of  the  hive,  and  against  this 


ADVANCKD  BEE  CULTURE. 


95 


side  of  the  hive  I  turn  the  side  of  the  comb  upon  which  is  the  (|ueen. 
Then  she  is  not  immediately  brou.i^'ht  in  contact  with  the  excited, 
strangfe  bees;  but  the  bees  intermini^le,  and,  ahiiost  unconsciously, 
the  whole  colony  accepts  the  queen.  If  anA'  of  the  queenless  bees 
stray  near  the  queen,  they  find  her  surrounded  by  a  corteg^e  of  her 
own  bees.  She  is  also  attending-  to  her  duties,  and  is  almost  certain 
not  to  be  molested. 

When  queens  come  from  a  distance,  they  are  more  difficult  to 
introduce.  The}'  have  not  la\'ed  any  eggs  in  several  days,  and  are 
in  a  jaded  condition.  It  would  often  be  a  saving  in  queens  if  such 
queens  were  first  introduced  to  nuclei,  and  then,  after  thev  were 
nicely  laying,  introduce  them  to  full  colonies  by  uniting  the  nuclei 
with  the  full  colonies,  in  the  manner  just  described.  It  is  much 
easier  to  introduce  a  queen  to  a  nucleus  than  to  a  full  colony.  Take 
a  frame  of  bees,  brood  and  honey  from  a  colony-,  place  it  in  a  hive 
with  an  empty  comb  by  the  side  of  the  comb  of  bees,  and  set  all  on  a 
new  stand,  when,  in  24  hours,  all  of  the  old  bees,  the  ones  that  always 
make  trouble  with  a  new 
queen,  have  returned  to 
the  old  stand,  and  the 
young  bees  that  are  left 
are  almost  certain  to 
accept  a  queen. 

When  a  (jueen  comes 
to  hand  in  a  jaded  con- 
dition it  would  be  a 
great  advantage  if  she 
could  at  once  be  released 
upon    the    combs,     but 

this  very  jaded  condition  is  against  her  acceptance.  To  meet  these 
conditions  it  is  an  excellent  plan  to  cage  her  against  the  side  of  a 
comb.  A  cage  for  this  purpose  is  made  fi^om  a  piece  of  wire  cloth 
seven  or  eight  inches  scjuare.  First  cut  out,  fi^om  each  corner,  a 
piece  1/i:  inches  square,  then  ravel  out  several  strands  from  each 
side,  after  which  bend  up  the  sides,  at  right  angles,  thus  forming  a 
sort  of  shallow  box.  The  open  side  of  this  box  is  placed  against  the 
side  of  a  comb  where  young  bees  are  emerging,  a  few  cells  of  honey 
also  being  included,  the  queen  slipped  under  the  edge  of  the  cage, 
when  the  raveled  out  strands  of  wires  are  thrust  into  the  comb, 
clear  up  to  the  cross-wires.  Before  doing  this  work  it  is  well  to  free 
the  comb  of  bees.  The  young  bees  that  hatch  will  treat  her  kindly, 
and,  in  the  meantime,  she  will  begin  laying,  when,  if  the  outside  bees 
seem  favorably  disposed,  the  queen  may  be  released  by  boring  a  hole 


96  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

through  the  comb  with  the  point  of  a  pocket  knife.  The  hole  should 
be  bored  throuj^rh  from  the  side  of  the  comb  that  is  opposite  to  the 
cage,  and,  if  the  comb  is  simply-  broken  up  sufficiently,  the  bees  will 
clean  out  the  broken  particles  and  thus  allow  the  queen  to  pass 
through,  which  releases  her  at  a  time  when  the  colony  is  in  a  normal 
condition,  instead  of  under  the  excitement  that  accompanies  the 
opening-  of  the  hive. 

I  just  said  that  it  would  be  well  to  release  the  (lueen  if  the  bees 
were  "favorabl}'  disposed"  towards  the  queen.  If  they  are  "balling" 
the  cage,  clinging  to  its  masses,  like  so  many  burdocks,  their  be- 
havior indicates  what  the  queen  would  have  to  endure  were  she 
within  their  reach.  The  operator  must  wait  until  they  are  in  a  dif- 
ferent mood,  until  they  are  walking  quietly  about  over  the  cage,  as 
unconcernedly  as  upon  the  combs  of  honey — perhaps  the  bees  may 
be  offering  food  to  the  (jueen  and  caressing  her  with  their  antennae. 
This  shows  that  the  bees  are  favorably  inclined  towards  the  queen, 
and  it  is  never  safe  to  release  a  queen  unless  the  bees  show  in  this 
manner  that  they  have  practically  accepted  her. 

Speaking  of  releasing  the  queen  by  boring  a  hole  through  the 
comb,  reminds  me  that  there  is  probably  no  better  waj-  of  releasing 
a  queen,  let  the  cage  be  what  it  ma}^  than  that  of  stopping  the 
entrance  with  a  piece  of  broken  up  comb  honey,  or  with  some  kind 
of  soft  candy,  and  allowing  the  bees  to  eat  it  out.  The  bees  that 
first  meet  the  queen  are  in  good  humor  from  the  candy  they  have 
eaten;  and,  as  has  just  been  mentioned,  the  queen  is  released 
quietly  at  a  time  when  the  colony  is  undisturbed.  After  a  queen  has 
been  released  the  hive  should  be  left  undisturbed  three  or  four  days, 
or  a  week,  until  the  (jueen  has  commenced  laying  and  become  fullj- 
established  as  queen  of  the  colony.  When  a  queen  has  been  released 
only  a  short  time,  she  is  easil}-  frightened,  when  she  is  likely  to  run 
and  "squeal,"  and  the  result  is  that  the  bees  will  at  once  "ball"  her. 

When  a  queen  from  a  distance  is  to  be  introduced  to  a  full 
colony,  the  condition  of  that  colony  is  of  the  utmost  importance. 
The  most  favorable  condition  is  that  it  be  hopelessly  queenless. 
Let  it  build  a  batch  of  cjueen  cells,  and  remove  them  after  all  of  the 
brood  has  been  sealed,  and  the  bees  are  almost  certain  to  accept  a 
queen  if  given  to  them  in  a  proper  manner.  When  I  was  engaged  in 
queen  rearing,  I  don't  know  that  I  ever  failed  in  trying  to  introduce 
a  queen  to  a  colony  that  had  built  a  batch  of  cells.  I  would  sooner 
release  a  (|ueen  after  the  bees  had  discovered  the  loss  of  their  old 
queen,  and  before  they  had  begun  the  construction  of  queen  cells, 
than  to  release  her  after  the  cells  were  under  waj",  un/rss  I  waited 
until  the  cells  were  sealed  over  and  had  been  removed. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  97 

If  the  bees  are  shaken  from  their  combs  into  a  ventilated  box, 
and  kept  confined,  without  a  queen,  several  hours,  Mr.  Doolittle 
says  that  they  will  invariably  accept  a  queen  if  given  one  in  the  box. 
In  other  words,  they  are  hopelessly  queenless,  away  from  home, 
confined,  and  are  ready  to  accept  anything-  in  the  shape  of  a  queen. 

If  the  bees  can,  in  some  way,  be  placed  in  such  a  condition  of 
mind  (or  body)  as  to  let  the  queen  alone  until  she  has  g-athered  the 
reins  into  her  hands,  so  to  speak,  there  is  seldom  any  more  trouble 
about  her  being-  accepted  as  their  sovereig-n;  and  one  excellent  method 
of  placing-  them  in  that  condition  is  by  the  use  of  tobacco  smoke. 
For  several  years  I  g-uaranteed  the  safe  introduction  of  queens  that 
I  sent  out,  and  the  tobacco  smoke  method  was  the  most  successful 
of  any  that  I  ever  asked  mj-  customers  to  try.  The  day  before  ship- 
ping the  queen,  I  sent  the  following-  notice: 

As  soon  as  you  receive  this  notice,  remove  the  queen  from  the 
colony  to  which  5'^ou  expect  to  introduce  the  new  queen.  When  she 
arrives,  put  her  away  in  a  safe  place  until  after  sundown.  Just  at 
dusk,  light  your  smoker.  When  it  is  well  to  g-oing,  but  in  a  pipeful 
of  smoking  tobacco,  put  on  the  cover,  puff  until  you  get  an  odor  of 
tobacco,  then  puff  two  or  three  good  puffs  into  the  entrance  of  the 
hive.  Wait  two  or  three  minutes,  then  send  in  another  good  puff  or 
two,  remove  the  cover,  drive  down  the  bees  with  a  puff  of  smoke, 
open  the  cage  and  allow  the  queen  to  run  dowm  between  the  combs, 
following  her  with  a  puff  or  two  of  smoke,  and  then  put  on  the  cover. 
Half  an  hour  later,  light  up  the  smoker  again,  putting  in  the  tobacco 
as  before,  and  blow  two  more  good  puffs  in  at  the  entrance.  If  no 
honey  is  coming  in,  feed  the  colony  a  pint  of  syrup  each  night  from 
the  inside  of  the  hive,  but  don't  disturb  the  brood  nest  for  four  or 
five  days. 

The  tobacco  smoke  partly  stupefies  the  bees,  and  by  the  time 
they  have  recovered,  the  queen  is  in  full  possession.  By  doing  the 
work  in  the  evening  the  bees  are  in  condition  to  defend  themselves 
b}^  morning,  should  it  be  necessary. 

There  is,  however,  one  method  of  introducing  a  queen  that 
never  fails,  it  is  that  of  confining  the  queen  in  a  hive  with  several 
combs  of  just  hatching  bees.  Go  over  several  hives,  and  find  enough 
combs,  from  which  the  bees  are  just  emerging,  to  fill  a  hive.  Choose 
those  combs  having  the  least  unsealed  brood,  as  the  most  of  this 
will  perish.  Shake  off  every  bee,  hang  the  combs  in  the  hive,  and 
close  it  up  hec-tighl.  Allow  the  queen  to  run  in  at  a  small  opening, 
closing  it  after  her.  This  work  should  be  done  in  the  forepart  of 
a  warm  day.  In  a  few  hours  enough  bees  will  have  hatched  to  form 
quite  a  little  cluster,  with  which  the  queen  is  absolutely  safe.  If  the 
nights  are  cool,  it  might  be  well  to  carr}-  the  hive  into  the  house  for 
two  or   three   nights.     In  five  or  six  days   the  hive  may  be  given   a 


98 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


stand  in  the  apiary,  and  the  entrance  opened  sufficiently  to  allow  the 
passage  of  a  single  bee.  So  much  trouble  as  this  is  not  advisable 
unless  the  queen  is  very  valuable. 

And  now,  in  closing,  a  word  of  caution:  When  buying  a  queen 
from  a  distance,  let  out  the  bees  and  queen  upon  a  window;  catch  the 
queen  and  put  her  into  a  clean  cage;  then  kill  all  of  the  bees  and 
throw  them  and  the  mailing  cage  into  the  stove.  This  is  to  guard 
against  any  possible  chance  of  getting  foul  brood  into  the  apiary 
from  infected  bees  or  honey.  A  queen  has  never  been  known  to 
carry  the  contagion  from  one  colonj^  to  the  other — the  only  danger 
is  that  the  food  in  the  cage  might  have  been  made  with  honey 
infected  with  the  germs  of  disease.  Of  course,  the  danger  is  very 
slight,  even  in  this  direction,  but  foul  brood  has  been  known  to  have 
been  communicated  in  this  manner,  and  there  is  no  harm  in  exer- 
cising caution. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  99 


Tlhe  Fee^iimM  ©f  Bees 


p^^^  EES  are  fed  to  prevent  thera  from  starving-  when  they  lack 
I — =^  stores  in  the  winter,  or  in  times  of  scarcity  during  the 
_\—Jy  summer  or  fall,  to  stimulate  the  rearing-  of  brood  in  the 
spring:,  or  at  any  other  time  when  it  is  desirable,  to  fur- 
nish them  with  winter  stores  when  they  are  lacking-  in  the  fall,  also 
to  secure  the  completion  of  unfinished  sections  that  may  be  left  at 
the  close  of  the  honey  harvest. 

The  feeding-  of  bees  for  stimulating  brood  rearing-  in  earlj^ 
spring  is  now  looked  upon  hy  many  as  of  doubtful  value;  especially 
is  this  true  in  the  Northern  States  where  weeks  of  warm  weather 
are  often  followed  by  a  "freeze-up."  If  the  hives  are  well  protected, 
and  the  bees  well  supplied  with  an  abundance  of  sealed  stores, 
natural  brood  rearing  will  proceed  with  sufficient  rapidity,  early  in 
the  spring,  without  any  artificial  stimulus;  the  only  time  that  spring 
feeding  is  advisable  is  where  there  is  a  dearth  of  nectar,  after  the 
early  spring  flow  and  before  the  coming  of  the  main  harvest.  A  few 
bee-keepers  have  found  it  very  profitable  to  feed  enough  at  this  time 
to  keep  brood  rearing  in  progress,  then,  when  the  harvest  comes  on, 
the  brood  combs  are  full  of  brood  and  food,  and  the  honey  must  go 
into  the  super  instead  of  being  stored  in  the  empty  cells  of  the  brood 
nest.  Not  only  this,  but,  as  the  result  of  uninterrupted  brood  rear- 
ing, great  armies  of  workers  are  brought  upon  the  stage  of  action  at 
the  proper  time  to  help  in  the  securing  of  the  harvest.  There  come 
to  my  mind,  now,  two  notable  examples  of  men  who  have  made  a 
great  success  of  this  kind  of  feeding;  one  is  H.  R.  Boardman  of 
East  Townsend,  Ohio,  and  the  other  is  Mr.  E.  W.  Alexander,  of 
Delanson,  N.  Y.     Mr.  Boardman   uses   a  quart,  Mason   jar  with    a 


100 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


he     H 


<  ^  a 

<U       "-        *^ 


CQ 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  101 

perforated  cover,  the  jar  being-  inverted  in  a  hole  made  in  a  shallow 
box  that  is  placed  in  front  of  the  entrance  of  the  hive,  the  side  of  the 
box  next  the  hive  being'  open  so  that  the  bees  can  enter.  The  two 
side  pieces  of  the  box  are  made  in  such  a  way  as  to  leave  projections 
on  their  lower  edgfes,  on  the  ends  next  the  hive,  and  these  projec- 
tions slip  into  the  entrance,  thus  holding:  the  feeder  in  place  and  mak- 
ing- it  more  difficult  for  robbers  to  grain  an  entrance  to  the  feeder. 

Mr.  Alexander,  who,  by  the  wa^-,  makes  a  success  of  keeping-  as 
man}'  as  700  colonies  in  one  apiar}-,  makes  a  feeder  out  of  a  piece  of 
2  x4  scantling- about  four  inches  long-er  than  the  width  of  the  hive. 
With  a  cutter  head,  or  a  saw  set  wabbling-,  grooves  are  cut  in  its 
upper  surface  to  within  half  an  inch  of  the  ends.  This  feeder  is 
placed  underneath  the  back  of  the  hive,  its  upper  surface  on  a  level 
with  the  bottom  board,  the  hive  being  shoved  back  on  the  bottom 
board  sufficiently  to  cover  the  feeder.  The  feed  is  poured  into  the 
end  of  the  feeder  that  projects  out  be3'ond  the  side  of  the  hive,  after 
which  a  block  four  inches  square  is  laid  over  the  projecting-  end  to 
keep  out  robbers.  When  there  are  sufficient  stores  in  the  hive  it  is 
not  necessar}'  to  feed  so  ver}-  much  hone}-;  a  small  quantity  of  food 
brought  into  the  hive  each  day  encouraging  the  bees  to  keep  on 
breeding,  using  their  sealed  stores  for  this  purpose. 

Before  feeding  a  whole  apiary  in  this  manner,  3ear  after  3'ear,  I 
would  suggest  that  the  bee-keeper  make  an  experiment:  Feed  one- 
half  the  colonies,  keep  an  accurate  account  of  the  cost  of  feeding, 
and  also  an  account  of  the  net  profit  from  each  lot.  Such  an  experi- 
ment, continued  a  few  ^-ears,  will  answer  the  question  as  to  whether 
such  feeding  is  profitable  in  that  particular  localit}'. 

Do  the  best  we  can  with  most  methods  of  management,  there 
will  alwaj'S  be  more  or  less  unfinished  sections  left  at  the  end  of  the 
season.  What  shall  be  done  with  these  is  really  a  serious  question. 
If  their  number  is  not  too  great,  those  nearly  completed  may  be  sold 
in  the  local  market,  while  the  honey  ma}'  be  extracted  from  the 
remainder,  and  the  bees  allowed  to  clean  them  up  by  stacking  them 
up  in  supers,  out  of  doors,  and  giving  only  a  small  entrance  to  the 
pile  of  filled  supers,  when  they  may  be  used  the  next  spring  as 
"bait"  sections  to  induce  the  bees  to  make  an  early  start  in  the 
supers.  If  bees  in  large  numbers  are  allowed  to  reach  the  sections 
while  still  wet  with  honey,  they  will,  in  their  eagerness,  tear  down 
the  cells  and  spoil  the  combs;  for  this  reason,  the  entrance  should 
allow  only  one  or  two  bees  to  pass  at  a  time. 

When  the  local  market  is  not  sufficient  to  take  the  nearly  com- 
pleted sections,  and  there  is  a  dearth  of  honey  during  the  hot 
weather  of  August,  it  is  possible  to  "feed  back"  extracted  honey  and 


102  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

secure  the  completion,  at  a  prolit,  of  all  unlinished  sections.  I  have 
fed  back  thousands  of  pounds  of  extracted  honey  for  this  purpose, 
and,  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  wish  to  give  the  plan  a  trial,  I  will 
describe  my  methods. 

As  soon  as  I  see  that  the  white  honey  harvest  is  drawinjjf  to  a 
close,  which,  with  me,  is  about  the  middle  of  July,  I  remove  all  of  the 
sections  from  the  hives,  look  them  over,  take  out  the  finished  ones, 
and  sort  the  remainder  into  three  g-rades,  viz.,  almost  finished,  half 
done,  and  just  commenced.  The  cases  containing-  the  first  two 
g-rades  are  then  placed  upon  the  hives,  one  case  upon  a  hive,  and 
allowed  to  remain  until  the  bees  have  taken  possession  of  them. 

Then  comes  the  task  of  selecting  the  colonies  to  do  the  work; 
and,  by  the  way,  this  is  the  most  important  point  of  all.  First,  the 
colonies  must  be  strong;  next,  they  must  possess  young  queens, 
preferably  those  of  the  current  year,  although  this  is  not  impera- 
tive; and,  last,  but  not  least,  simon  pure  blacks  are  given  the  first 
choice.  Hybrids  are  the  next  best,  while,  as  a  rule,  Italians  do  very 
poor  work  in  this  line.  Keeping  these  points  in  view,  I  select  one- 
half  as  many  colonies  as  I  have  cases  of  unfinished  sections  upon  the 
hives,  and  to  these  colonies  I  transfer  the  cases — sections,  bees  and 
all — putting  two  cases  upon  a  hive.  I  have  never  experienced  the 
least  trouble,  in  any  respect,  from  thus  mixing  up  the  bees,  while 
populous  colonies  are  secured  thereby. 

If  the  brood  nests  are  not  already  contracted,  I  contract  them. 
The  greater  the  contraction,  the  more  satisfactory  will  be  the 
results,  so  far  as  work  in  the  sections  is  concerned,  but,  if  carried 
too  far,  it  will  materially  weaken  the  colonies  by  curtailing  the  pro- 
duction of  brood.  I  have  sometimes  contracted  the  brood  nest  to 
only  three  Langstroth  combs,  and  these  three  combs,  when  I  was 
through  feeding,  were  three  solid  sheets  of  brood;  but,  all  things 
considered,  I  prefer  to  contract  the  brood  nest  to  about  the  capacity 
of  five  Langstroth  combs.  There  is  also  another  point  that  must 
not  be  neglected,  and  that  is  that  the  brood  combs  must  not  be  old 
and  black,  otherwise,  the  combs  in  the  sections  will  become  travel- 
stained  unless  removed  very  promptly  upon  their  completion.  The 
newer  the  combs  in  the  brood  nest,  the  better. 

When  honey  is  brought  in  from  the  fields  it  is  carried  up  into 
the  sections;  that  is,  the  supply,  as  regards  the  sections,  comes  from 
below;  in  feeding  back,  the  feeder  is  usually  placed  above  the  supers, 
in  which  case  the  supply  comes  from  above.  In  both  instances,  the 
sections  in  which  the  work  is  the  least  advanced  should  be  placed 
nearest  the  source  of  supply.  Thus  it  will  be  seen  that,  in  feeding- 
back,  the   sections  that   are  nearly   finished   are   placed  next   to  the 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


103 


brood    nest,   and    above    these    the    s^rade    that    is    about  one-half 
completed. 

The  feeder  that  I  used  is  the  Heddon,  which  is  exactlj-  the  size 
of  the  top  of  the  hive,  and  is  placed  above  the  sections.  His  new 
feeder  is  unexcelled  for  this  purpose,  as  the  bees  take  down  the  feed 
from  both  sides.  This  might  not  seem  important,  but  it  is,  and  for 
this  reason;  when  the  feed  is  carried  down  upon  one  side  onlj^  the 
sections  upon  this  side  are  completed  /i';'5/.  When  the  feed  is  car- 
ried down  from  both  sides,  the  sections  are  finished  up  ver}'  evenly 
all  over  the  case.  In  this  feeder,  the  reservoir  is  in  the  center,  and 
just  over  it  the  cover  slides  back  in  grooves.  There  is  no  contact 
with  the  bees,  no  smoke  is  needed,  no  propolis  is  disturbed,  and  the 
cover  fits  so  snugly  that  no  odor  of  hone}^  escapes  to  attract  robbers. 


The  Heddon  Feeder. 

The  bees  seem  to  be  able  to  handle  the  hone}-  to  better  advan- 
tage when  it  is  thinned  somewhat,  sa^-,  one  quart  of  water  to  ten 
pounds  of  honey.  I  heat  ten  quarts  of  water  over  an  oil  stove  until 
it  boils,  then  mix  it  with  100  pounds  of  honey,  stir  it  up  well,  when 
it  is  ready  for  use.  The  first  feeding  should  be  done  at  dusk,  as  it 
puts  the  bees  in  an  excited  state,  and  trouble  from  attempts  at  rob- 
bing might  result.  After  the  bees  have  become  accustomed  to  find- 
ing honey  in  the  feeder,  feeding  produces  little,  or  no,  excitement; 
still,  at  dusk  is  the  best  time  to  feed,  as  the  annoyance  of  having 
robber  bees  follow  from  hive  to  hive,  and  dive  into  the  feeder  reser- 
voir when  it  is  opened,  is  thus  avoided.  The  feed  is  given  as  fast  as 
the  bees  take  it. 

Close  watch  is  kept  of  the  sections  in  the  lower  cases,  and  when- 
ever a  case  is  found  in  which  all  or  nearly  all  of  the  sections  are  com- 
pleted, off  it  comes;  the  case  above  it  is  placed  next  the  brood  nest, 
and  above  this  case  is  placed  a  case  of  sections  brought  from  the 
honey  house,  one  containing  sections  of  the  third  grade;  that  is, 
those  in  which  the  bees  have  made  the  least  progress.  I  continue  to 
bring  in  the  the  cases  of  finished  sections  as  they  are  completed,  re- 
placing them  with  the  unfinished  ones  from  the  honey  house.     When 


104  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

the  stock  of  the  latter  is  exhausted,  I  am  ready  to  bejjin  to  reduce 
the  number  of  colonies  upon  which  I  am  feedinj?  back,  and  this  is 
done  as  fast  as  the  sections  are  completed. 

During-  all  this  time,  since  the  feeding:  commenced,  I  have  been 
watching-  each  colony,  and  jotting  down,  upon  the  cover  of  the  feeder, 
its  characteristics;  and,  in  reducing  the  number  of  colonies,  those 
are  rejected  that  have  done  the  least  satisfactory  work,  I  continue 
to  keep  two  cases  upon  each  hive,  and,  as  the  colonies  work  with 
greatly  varying  rapidity,  there  is  no  difficulty,  by  changing  about 
the  cases,  to  keep  next  the  brood  nest  those  sections  that  are  the 
nearest  completion.  In  gathering-  the  sections  tog-ether  upon  fewer 
hives,  I  always  take  bees  and  all,  thus  I  am  continually  strengthen- 
ing the  colonies  upon  which  I  am  feeding  back. 

It  is  useless  to  expect  the  bees  to  finish  up  all  of  the  sections 
upon  a  hive.  Even  though  the  feeding-  is  continued,  the  sections  will 
not  be  completed  in  a  satisfactory  manner.  So  long  as  the  feeding- 
is  continued  the  bees  seem  to  reason  something-  like  this:  "We  must 
make  the  cells  as  deep  as  possible,  and  delaj'  the  capping  until  the 
last  moment,  in  order  to  make  room  for  all  the  honey  that  we  can; 
and,  if  there  are  not  cells  enougfh,  we  must  build  more,  even  if  it  be 
in  the  little,  cramped  up  places  between  the  tiers  of  sections." 
After  the  combs  are  drawn  out  to  full  length,  tilled  with  honey,  and 
nearly  sealed,  I  have  secured  better  results  by  giving  the  bees  no 
feed  for  three  or  four  days,  then  giving-  them  a  lig-ht  feed,  and 
omitting  the  feeding  for  several  days.  The  bees  then  behave  as 
though  they  considered  the  harvest  over  and  ended.  Thej'  seal  up 
most  of  the  cells,  and  from  those  that  they  do  not  seal  they  remove 
the  honey.  But  there  is  a  much  better  way  of  managing  the  busi- 
ness. When  the  sections  are  all  nearly  iinished,  I  put  them  ui)on  as 
few  hives  as  possible,  and  still  not  have  more  than  two  cases  upon 
one  hive,  and  then  upon  each  hive,  above  the  two  cases  of  nearly  com- 
pleted sections,  I  place  a  case  of  sections  filled  with  comb  founda- 
tion. The  bees  proceed  at  once  to  draw  out  the  foundation  and  fill 
it  with  honey,  and  this  additional  storage  room  appears  to  bring 
about  a  feeling  that  there  is  no  further  necessity  for  lu)lding  cells 
open  below,  and  thej^  are  sealed,  forthwith. 

When  the  two  lower  cases  are  completed,  the  upper  case  ( the 
one  that  was  furnished  with  foundation)  will,  i)erha])s,  be  found  to 
contain  sections  one-half  completed,  and  these  upi)er  cases  maybe 
gfathered  together,  bees  and  all,  and  placed,  two  upon  each  hive,  over 
those  colonies  that  have  shown  the  g-reatest  aptitude  for  this  kind  of 
work,  and  the  feeding:  continued  until  the  sections  are  almost  com- 
pleted, when    it  will   ag-ain  be   necessary-  to   place  a  case  of   sections 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  105 

containing-  foundation  upon  each  hive.  I  have  continued  this  opera- 
tion until  all  the  sections  were  finally  upon  one  hive,  and  had  all  of  the 
sections  completed  except  those  in  the  case  last  added  on  top. 

After  bees  have  been  fed  awhile,  they  secrete  large  quantities 
of  wax.  ,The  little  flakes  of  it  can  be  seen  between  the  scales  of  the 
abdomen,  and,  unless  allowed  to  build  comb,  the  bees  will  plaster 
with  wax  the  woodwork  of  the  sections,  the  inside  of  the  feeders, 
cases,  etc.  The  moral  is  to  allow  them  to  build  comb.  Have  a  row 
or  two  of  sections  in  the  upper  case  filled  with  starters  only;  thus 
there  is  secured,  in  the  shape  of  comb,  what  would  otherwise  be 
wasted. 

Althouti^h  we  cannot  control  the  temperature,  it  may  be  well  to 
know  that  the  hotter  the  weather  the  more  rapid  and  satisfactory^ 
will  be  the  work  of  the  bees  when  we  are  feeding^  back. 

If  there  is  any  time  when  separators  are  needed,  it  is  in  feeding" 
back.  If  the  combs,  both  finished  and  unfinished,  could  be  left  un- 
disturbed upon  the  hive,  and  the  bees  fed  until  all  the  combs  were 
finished,  feeding:  back  would  be  no  reason  whj-  separators  should  be 
used;  but  when  the  unfinished  combs  are  put  back  in  the  cases,  a 
g-reat  deal  of  judg-ment  and  patience  are  needed,  unless  separators 
are  used.  Bees  usualh-  leave  a  space  of  about  :'8  of  an  inch  between 
combs,  and,  in  putting-  back  unfinished  sections,  where  separators 
are  not  used,  this  fact  must  be  kept  in  mind.  When  the  space  is 
less  than  this,  no  harm  is  done  unless  it  is  so  small  that  a  bee  can 
not  pass  throug-h,  when  the  bees  will  connect  the  two  surfaces  by 
little  bridg-es  of  wax,  and  when  the  sections  are  taken  apart,  these 
little,  connecting-  bridg-es  will  pull  pieces  out  from  one  comb  or  the 
other.  When  the  space  is  much  g-reater  than  r>8,  and  the  comb  upon 
each  side  is  sealed,  the  bees,  especially  if  crowded,  will  construct 
comb  upon  the  sealed  surface  of  the  other  comb,  which  g-ives  it  a 
very  botchy  appearance.  If  the  comb  at  one  side  of  the  space  is 
sealed,  and  the  other  not,  the  sealed  comb  will  be  undisturbed, 
while  the  unsealed  cells  upon  the  other  side  will  be  leng-fhened  out 
until  the  space  between  the  two  combs  is  reduced  to  about  ^)s.  If, 
in  this  instance,  the  sealed  comb  is  smooth  and  even,  and  in  the  rig-ht 
place  as  reg-ards  the  section  as  a  whole,  all  will  be  well;  but,  if  it  be 
concave  or  convex,  the  unfinished  comb  facing-  it  will  be  drawn  out 
in  conformity  with  the  surface  of  the  finished  comb.  If  two  un- 
finished surfaces,  in  the  same  stag-e  of  completion,  are  broug-ht 
facing  each  other  near  the  center  of  the  super,  they  will  be  drawn 
out  and  sealed  straight  and  true  and  alike;  if  they  are  near  the  out- 
side, the  chances  are  that  the  comb  nearest  the  center  of  the  super 
will  grow   faster   than  the   one  farther  out,  and  a  bulge   will  be   the 


106  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

result.  Combs  near  the  center  of  the  super  are  drawn  out  quicker 
and  finished  sooner  than  those  at  the  outside  and  corners;  hence  I 
place  at  the  outside  those  sections  that  are  the  nearest  completion; 
and  especially  do  I  take  pains  to  have  sealed  surfaces  come  next  to 
the  sides  of  the  super,  while  combs  that  are  the  farthest  from  com- 
pletion are  placed  in  the  center.  By  this  manajirement,  all  of  the 
combs  are  finished  at  about  the  same  time.  Unless  some  of  the 
combs  begin  to  show  sig-ns  of  travel-stain,  it  is  better  to  leave  on 
the  super  until  all,  or  nearly  all,  of  the  sections  are  completed,  for, 
as  the  combs  near  completion,  this  matter  of  adjustment  becomes 
more  difficult.  When  separators  are  used,  all  of  these  troubles 
vanish. 

When  foundation  is  used,  and  comb  honey  produced,  "right 
from  the  stump,"  so  to  speak,  by  the  feeding  of  extracted  honey,  we 
have  none  of  this  patching,  bulging  difficulty  to  contend  with,  as  all 
of  the  combs  grow  alike;  and  some  of  the  finest,  straightest,  plump- 
est and  most  handsome  comb  honey  can  thus  be  produced  that  the 
eye  ever  beheld;  but  I  have  never  found  it  profitable,  except  by  plac- 
ing a  few  cases  on  top,  near  the  close  of  finishing  up  a  lot  of  un- 
finished sections,  to  give  the  bees  room,  and  thus  induce  them  to 
seal  up  nearly  finished  combs,  as  has  been  already  explained. 

I  know  of  only  two  objections  to  the  feeding  back  of  extracted 
honey.  One  is  that  "fed  honey"  has  a  slightly  different  taste  from 
that  stored  directly  in  the  combs  from  the  flowers.  There  seems  to 
be  a  sort  of  "off"  taste,  or  lack  of  flavor.  'I'his  lack  of  fine  flavor  is 
not  very  pronounced,  but  it  can  be  noticed  by  those  who  are  experi- 
enced in  the  matter.  It  is  possible  that  this  taste  comes  from  the 
thinning  of  the  honey  and  the  handling  of  it  about  in  different  ves- 
sels, as  well  as  the  continued  use  of  a  wooden  feeder.  The  other 
objection  to  "fed  honey"  is  that  it  will  candy  much  quicker  than 
other  honey.  When  the  sections  are  nearly  completed,  and  feeding 
is  done  simply  to  have  them  completed  and  sealed  over,  the  propor- 
tion of  "fed  honey"  is  so  small  that  these  objections  are  not  very 
serious.  "Fed  honey"  ought  to  be  sold  early  and  in  a  market  where 
it  will  be  consumed  before  it  candies. 

Taking  one  year  with  another,  I  have  secured  about  two  pounds 
of  comb  honey  from  the  feeding  of  three  pounds  of  extracted. 
With  the  right  kind  of  weather  and  colonies,  I  have  done  much  bet- 
ter— secured  four  pounds  from  the  feeding  of  five. 

The  advantages  of  feeding  back  honey  can  be  stated  in  a  few 
words:  Comb  honey  is  more  salable,  and  at  a  higher  price,  than  ex- 
tracted, and  if  the  latter  can  be  changed  into  the  former  at  no  great 
expense,  there  are  quicker  sales  and  greater  profits.     The  greatest 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  lOV 

advantag-e,  however,  is  in  securing-  the  completion  of  nearly  finished 
sections. 

I  think  that  the  feeding  back  of  extracted  honey  is  on  the  wane, 
as  bee-keepers  are  learning  how  to  greath'  lessen  the  number  of  un- 
finished sections  at  the  end  of  the  season;  and  my  object  in  de- 
scribing the  practice  is  not  to  recommend  it  for  general  use,  but  to 
furnish  the  necessary  instructions  should  circumstances  arise  mak- 
ing it  desirable  to  follow  them. 

When  bees  require  feeding  in  the  fall,  almost  any  kind  of  feeder 
will  answer  the  purpose.  If  nothing  better  is  at  hand,  a  tin  pan,  or 
any  open  dish,  may  be  set  in  an  upper  story,  and  a  piece  of  burlap 
laid  in  the  feed  as  a  float  for  the  bees  to  stand  upon.  A  good-sized 
feeder,  one  that  will  hold  from  15  to  20  pounds,  like  the  Heddon,  for 
instance,  greatly  facilitates  the  work,  however.  Bees  can  be  fed 
with  the  Heddon  feeder  when  it  is  so  late  and  cool  that  no  other 
feeder  would  answer.  Fill  the  feeder  with  hot  syrup,  as  hot  as  it  can 
be  and  not  burn  the  bees,  then  set  the  hive  ozr?' the  feeder,  when 
the  heat  from  the  syrup  will  warm  and  rouse  up  the  clustered  bees, 
and  the}'  will  come  down  and  carrj'  up  the  feed  in  short  order. 

The  idea  seems  to  prevail  that  all  winter  stores  must  be  sealed. 
This  is  an  error;  and  probabl}"  arose  from  the  fact  that  late-gathered 
stores  are  often  of  poor  qualit}' — not  because  the^^  may  be  left  un- 
sealed, but  from  the  qualitj^  itself.  A  g^ood,  thick  syrup  made  from 
granulated  sugar  is  an  ideal  winter  food  whether  it  is  sealed  over  or 
not;  in  fact,  bees  in  a  warm  cellar  may  be  successfulh"  wintered  on 
sugar  sj^rup  supplied  to  them  daih'  by  means  of  a  feeder.  A  large, 
flat  cake  of  candy  laid  over  the  cluster,  and  covered  with  enameled 
cloth,  with  packing  of  some  kind  over  that,  is  a  handier  method  of 
winter-feeding;  but,  aside  from  that,  is  not  superior  to  the  use  of 
syrup,  when  the  bees  are  in  a  warm  cellar,  but  it  would  be  out  of 
doors. 

In  closing,  let  me  caution  the  bee-keeper  to  beware  whence 
comes  the  honej-  that  he  feeds.  Let  him  be  sinr  that  it  contains  no 
germs  of  foul  brood.  To  buj-  hone}'  in  the  open  market  and  feed  it 
to  the  bees  would  be  a  most  risky  proceeding.  For  stimulative  feed- 
ing, and  for  winter  stores,  better  buy  sugar.  It  is  cheaper,  safer 
and  better — especially  so  for  winter  stores. 


108  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Tlhie  Pir©dl^cta©]ni  ©f  Commlb  ]nl©imey< 


HAVING  now  considered  some  of  the  most  important  points 
in  modern  bee  culture,  such  as  locality,  hives,  supers,  sec- 
tions, increase,  feeding",  varieties  of  bees,  use  of  comb 
foundation,  etc.,  let  us  begin  at  the  opening  of  the  season, 
and  go  briefly  over  the  ground,  showing  the  relation  of  these  differ- 
ent features  to  one  another,  as  the}-  are  employed  in  the  production 
of  comb  honey. 

We  will  suppose  that  the  early  spring  has  passed;  that  the  bees 
have  received  sufficient  protection;  been  supplied  with  ample  stores; 
and  that  the  hives  are  now  teeming  with  life  as  we  stand  upon  the 
threshold  of  the  main  honey  flow.  And  right  here  let  me  say  that 
unless  the  colonies  arc  strong  and  populous,  simply  overflowing 
with  bees,  it  is  folly  to  expect  a  paying  crop  of  comb  honey.  If 
there  is  any  time  when  weak  colonies  may  be  united  to  advantage,  it 
is  at  the  opening  of  the  main  harvest,  when  comb  honey  is  to  be  the 
product.  Better  gather  together,  into  one  hive,  three-fourths,  or 
even  all,  of  the  bees  and  brood  from  two,  three,  or  even  four,  hives, 
and  thus  have  one  rousing  colon}-,  than  to  attempt  to  secure  a  crop 
of  comb  honey  with  weaklings.  A  comb  or  two  of  brood  and  bees, 
and  a  queen,  left  in  a  hive  at  the  beginning  of  the  harvest,  will  build 
up  into  a  good  colon}'  by  fall,  and,  possibl}',  store  some  honey  that 
may  be  extracted.  No  matter  how  it  is  accomplished,  one  thing  is 
inipcrafivc^  and  that  is  that  the  brood  nest  be  crowded  with  bees  and 
brood  at  the  opening  of  the  honey  harvest. 

This  condition  tends  greatly  to  make  the  bees  begin  jjromptly 
to  store  honey  in  the  supers.  And  this  is  important,  as,  otherwise, 
the  bees  are  inclined  to  crowd  the  brood  nest  with  honey  as  the  bees 
hatch  out,  also  to  "loaf,"  and  develop  the  "swarming  fever,"     If  bees 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  109 

can  be  induced  to  beg-in  working-  in  the  sections  at  the  opening  of 
the  main  honey  flow,  it  relieves  the  "pressure,"  so  to  speak,  upon 
the  brood  nest,  which  results  in  more  brood,  while  the  turning-  of 
the  energies  of  the  colony  into  the  storing  of  hone}-,  does  much  to 
keep  down  the  swarming  fever.  The  g-reatest  attraction  that  can  be 
placed  in  the  supers  is  that  of  drawn  comb.  Unfinished  sections 
saved  over  from  the  previous  season  are  excellent  for  this  purpose. 
As  has  been  explained  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  hone}-  must  be  ex- 
tracted, and  the  bees  allowed  to  clean  up  the  combs,  when  the  latter 
must  be  packed  away  in  supers  where  no  dust  nor  mice  can  get  at 
them.  I  have  gfiven  supers  full  of  these  parth-  drawn  combs  to  col- 
onies, (one  super  to  a  colony)  and  had  these  combs  filled  and  capped, 
and  ready  to  come  oflf.  just  as  other  colonies  supplied  with  sections 
containing-  foundation  only,  were  only  making-  their  first  start  in  the 
supers.  In  this  case,  a  super  of  partly  drawn  combs  was  worth  as 
much  as  a  case  of  finished  honey.  There  is,  however,  a  still  better 
method  of  managing  this  part  of  the  business.  It  is  that  of  putting- 
on  an  extracting  super  first,  and  when  this  is  filled  and  removed,  the 
bees  are  always  ready  to  g-o  to  work  in  the  sections  ii)ii)icdiatcly. 
For  this  purpose,  shallow  supers  are  preferable;  those  containing 
frames  half  the  depth  of  the  regular  brood  frame  being  the  size  that 
is  usually  employed  for  this  purpose.  The  greatest  objection  to  the 
use  of  the  full-sized  combs  is  that  it  requires  so  much  honey  to  fill  a 
super  of  them,  that  it  would  materially  reduce  the  crop  of  comb 
hone}-.  The  use  of  a  shallow  extracting  super  removes  this  objec- 
tion. Again,  the  beginning  of  the  white  honey  flow  is  sometimes 
mixed  with  an  earlier,  darker  flow,  and  the  taking  of  the  first  of  the 
white  flow  in  the  extracted  form,  insures  the  perfect  whiteness  of 
all  honey  stored  in  the  sections.  Still  further,  these  half-depth,  ex- 
tracting supers  can  be  used  to  fully  as  great  advantage  at  the  end  of 
the  harvest  as  at  the  beginning — perhaps  to  greater  advantage.  As 
the  time  approaches  for  the  close  of  the  harvest,  instead  of  giving 
more  sections,  simply  set  on  top  of  the  sections  one  of  these  half- 
depth,  extracting  supers.  If  more  honey  comes  in  than  is  needed 
to  fill  and  complete  the  sections  already  on  the  hive,  it  will  "over- 
flow." so  to  speak,  into  the  extracting  super  that  is  on  top;  thus  the 
honey  that  would  otherwise  go  to  the  making  of  a  lot  of  unfinished 
sections,  is  secured  in  the  extracted  form.  Getting  extracted  honey 
at  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  season,  as  just  explained,  certainly 
has  some  very  decided  advantages.  It  leads  the  bees  to  begin  work 
promptly  in  the  supers  at  the  opening  of  the  season,  keeps  all 
"mixed"  honey  out  of  the  sections,  and  practically  does  away  with 
unfinished  sections  at  the  end  of  the  season. 


110  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

When  the  first  case  of  sections  placed  on  the  hive  at  the  begfin- 
ning  of  the  harvest  is  partly  finished,  it  is  raised,  and  another  case 
placed  between  that  and  the  hive.  At  what  stage  of  completion  the 
sections  should  be  when  a  second  case  is  added  depends  upon  how 
crowded  the  bees  are  and  the  rate  at  which  honey  is  coming  in.  I 
usually  add  another  super  when  the  sections  in  the  one  next  the  hive 
are  from  one-half  to  two-thirds  completed.  I  have  not  found  it  prof- 
itable to  tier  up  sections  more  than  three  supers  in  height.  As  a 
rule,  the  upper  super  is  read\'  for  removal  before  it  is  necessary  to 
add  a  fourth.  If  it  is  not,  and  honey  is  coming  in  rapidly,  I  would 
transfer  it,  bees  and  all,  to  some  other  colony  having  a  less  number 
of  cases,  rather  than  tier  up  four  cases  high.  With  any  system  in 
which  the  sections  are  finished  in  close  proximity  to  the  brood  nest, 
their  removal  is  necessary  soon  after  completion,  to  prevent  their 
being  soiled  or  "travel-stained,"  by  the  bees  i)assing  over  them 
directly  from  the  brood  nest;  but,  with  the  tiering-up  system,  the 
finished  combs  are  so  far  from  the  brood  nest  that  they  remain  un- 
sullied until  a  whole  case  can  be  removed  at  once.  During  a  regular 
"honey-shower,"  such  as  we  have  so/ucf/'/i/cs,  when  the  nectar  all  but 
drips  from  the  fragrant,  golden  blossoms  of  the  linden,  I  have  seen 
a  colony  draw  out  the  foundation  in  28  sections,  and  fill  them  full  of 
honey  (and  here  is  where  I  believe  foundation  is  zr;n' valuable  )  in 
less  than  three  days,  j^et  scarcely  a  cell  would  be  sra/cd.  To  give 
the  bees  another  super  next  the  hive  is  the  work  of  only  a  moment. 
At  such  times  it  may  be  advisable  to  remove  the  upper  case,  after 
they  have  been  tiered  up  three  high,  even  if  there  are  one  or  two 
unfinished  sections  in  each  corner;  and,  when  crating,  have  an  empty 
super  at  hand  in  which  to  put  the  unfinished  sections,  and  when  it  is 
full  place  it  on  a  hive. 

When  a  super  is  ready  to  come  off,  there  is  no  easier,  less 
troublesome,  method  of  freeing  it  from  bees  than  by  the  use  of  a 
Porter  bee-escape,  which  consists  of  a  tin  frame-work  or  box  inside 
of  which  are  two  delicate  brass  springs  so  nicely  adjusted  that  a  bee 
can  easily  s(|uee/e  out  between  their  points,  but  cannot  return. 
Openings  in  the  upper  and  lower  sides  of  the  box  allow  the  bees  to 
pass  through.  'JMie  escape  is  fastened  into  an  oi)ening  cut  in  the 
center  of  a  thin  board  the  size  of  the  toj)  of  the  hive,  a  -'8  rim  around 
its  edge  holding  the  super  bee-space  above  the  board.  To  use  the 
escape,  simply  raise  the  upper  super,  lay  the  escape-bt)ard  upon 
the  top  of  the  next  lower  super,  replace  the  removed  super  upon  the 
top  of  the  escape-board,  and  the  work  is  done,  so  far  as  the  bee- 
keeper is  concerned.  The  bees,  finding  themselves  shut  off  from 
the  rest  of  the  hive,  become  excited  and  make   frantic   efforts  to 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Ill 


Sprig  of  Basswood  in  Bloom. 


112 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


escape.  Findinof  one  opening:  by  means  of  which  they  can  reach 
"home,"  they  crowd  throujjfh  as  fast  as  possible,  when,  in  a  few 
hours,  the  super  is  free  of  bees.  If  escape^  are  put  on  at  eveninjjf, 
the  supers  above  them  will  be  free  of  bees  in  the  morninj^. 

If  there  is  not  time  to  use  escapes,  or,  if  for  some  reason,  it  is 
not  desirable  to  use  them,  the  suiters  can  be  freed  of  bees  by  other 
methods.  My  practice  has  been  as  follows:  Have  the  smoker  in 
•rood  trim,  take  off  the  cover,  and  drive  a  perfect  delujre  of  smoke 
down  amonjj:  the  bees.  This  starts  them  out  of  the  combs  at  a  lively 
rate,  and,  before  they  have  time  tt)  come  back,  I  have  the  super  off 
the  hive.  The  super  is  then  tremulously  shaken  in  front  of  the  hive 
until  most  of  the  remaining:  bees  are  dislody^ed,  when  it  is  taken  to  the 
honey  house  and  set  on  end.  In  a  short  time  the  few  strajrjjflinyf 
bees  leave  the  super  and  escape  by  way  of  the  window,  which  should 

have  wire   cloth  over  it  on    the 


outside,  lettin«r  it  extend  sev- 
eral inches  above  the  window, 
and  terminate  in  a  small  cone- 
like opening  from  which  the 
bees  can  easily  lind  their  wa^' 
out,  but  not  be  very  likely  to 
find  their  way  back.  If  the  shaking:  process  is  found  too  laborious, 
and  robbers  are  not  troublesome  (and  they  will  not  be  until  the 
close  of  the  season),  the  super  may  be  leaned  a.ii:ainst  the  side  of  the 
hive,  near  the  entrance,  when  the  bees  will  desert  the  super  for  the 
hive.  When  robbers  are  troublesome,  the  straj^k^'lers  may  be  driven 
out  with  smoke,  and  brushed  off  in  front  of  the  hive. 

By  shading:  the  hives,  allowing:  jjenerous  entrances,  also  abun- 
dance of  room  in  the  supers,  swarming:  is  g:reatly  delayed,  and  often 
avoided  entirely  with  many  colonies.  I  have  known  seasons  when, 
with  this  manag-ement,  not  more  than  one-half  of  my  colonies 
swarmed,  and  I  have  frequently  had  seasons  when  not  more  than 
two-thirds  of  them  swarmed.  When  a  swarm  does  issue,  I  hive  it  in 
a  contracted  brood  nest,  with  starters  only  in  the  brood  frames,  on 
the  old  stand,  put  on  a  queen  excluding:  honey  board  and  transfer  the 
supers  from  the  old  to  the  new  hive.  In  20  minutes,  at  the  outside, 
the  bees  are  back  at  work  in  the  sections  that  they  recently  deserted 
in  such  a  hurr3\  The  old  colony  is  placed  by  the  side  of  the  new 
one  for  a  week,  when  it  is  moved  to  a  new  stand,  thus  throwing:  all 
of  its  flying:  bees  into  the  colony  having:  the  sections,  and  so  deplet- 
ing the  old  colony,  just  as  the  young:  queens  are  hatching;,  that  there 
is  seldom  any  after-swarming-.  If  the  swarming:  takes  place  early 
in  the  season,  the  old  colony  may  do'something  in  the  way  of  storing. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


113 


surplus,  but,  as  a   rule,  it   simpl}-  becomes  a  most   excellent  colony, 
with  a  younj,'-  queen,  for  carrying-  throug-h  the  winter. 

As  the  harvest  draws  to  a  close,  an  extracting:  super  is  put  on 
top  of  the  sections,  as  has  been  already'  explained,  or  the  unfinished 
sections  may  be  finished  up  by  feeding-  back  extracted  honey,  or  the 
sections  nearest  completion  may  be  sold  in  the  local  market,  and 
those  not  sufficiently  finished  for  this  purpose,  may  be  extracted, 
and  cleaned  up  by  the  bees,  when  they  will  be  ready  to  use  as 
"baits"  to  induce  the  bees  to  make  an  early  start  in  the  supers  the 
following-  spring-. 


Photographed  by  H    K.  Hill. 


114 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Frodl^clim^  Ooodl  E^tliractedl 


HAT  is  it  that  g-ives  to  honey  its  \-.ilue  ?  It  is  not  simply 
its  sweetness,  which  is  of  low  power;  hut  it  is  its  tine 
llavor  and  rich  aroma.  These  are  the  (jualities  which 
make  honey  what  it  is  a  luxury  and,  if  we  wish  its 
use  continued  as  a  sweet  sauce,  we  must  learn  to  i)roduce  and  care 
for  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  preserve  its  ambrosial,  palate-tickliny: 
(lualities.  Freshly  {gathered  nectar  is  one  of  the  most  "silly"  tastinjif 
and  sickeninji:  of  sweets.  n\)  l)e  sure,  it  has  the  flavor  of  the  flowers 
from  which  it  was  j^fathered;  but  that  smooth,  rich,  oily,  honey  taste, 
that  lin}i:ers  in  the  mouth,  must  h<^ Jiirn/shcd  hy  t/ic  /)ccs.  Honey  ex- 
tracted when  'Vreen,"  and  evaporated  in  the  open  air,  is  not  only 
lackinjjf  in  the  element  that  comes  from  the  secretions  of  the  bees, 
but  its  blossom-flavor  is  half  lost  by  evaporation.  To  be  sure, 
evai)oration  must  take  place  if  left  in  the  hi\e,  l)ut  evaporation  in  the 
ojJen  air,  and  evaporation  in  the  aroma-laden  air  of  the  hi\e  produce 
different  results. 

One  reason  why  comb  honey  is,  in  so  many  instances,  found  to 
be  more  delicious  than  the  extracted,  is  because  the  former  is  more 
thoroujifhly  ripened,  and  then  sealed  up  from  the  air.  Seldom  do 
we  find  extracted  honey  equal  to  that  drippin.Lr  from  and  sun^ound- 
\n^  the  section  of  comb  honey  that  is  beinjjf  carved  upon  a  plate. 
Many  of  those  who  produce  extracted  honey  in  larjje  <|uantities,  ex- 
tractinjf  it  before  it  is  thoroughly  rii)ened,  admit  that  such  honey  is 
inferior,  as  a  table  sauce,  to  that  ripened  by  the  bees,  but  the}'  say 
they   cannot    afford   to    produce   the   best    article    possible.      The 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  115 

quantity  of  honey  is  not  materially  lessened  by  thoroug'hlj'^  ripening  it; 
if  larger  crops  are  secured  b\'  extracting  it  "green,"  it  is  the  result 
of  the  stimulus  given  the  bees  by  furnishing  them  such  an  abun- 
dance of  empty  combs.  B}-  the  use  of  plenty' of  store-combs  and 
supers,  the  same  results,  or  nearly  the  same,  may  be  obtained,  and 
the  ripening  of  the  honej'  secured,  by  tiering  up.  The  interest  upon 
the  cost  of  extra  combs  and  supers  is  a  small  thing  compared  with 
the  putting  of  unripe  honey  upon  the  market.  By  the  use  of  plenty 
of  combs,  tiering  them  up,  the  work  of  extracting  may  be  put  off 
until  the  busy  season  is  over.  The  great  trouble  is  the  lack  of  in- 
centive for  producing  well-ripened  honey  for  the  general  market. 
The  production  of  extracted  honej^  to  be  shipped  away  for  some 
commission  merchant  to  sell,  is  much  like  making  butter  to  be  sold 
at  a  country  store.  All  brings  the  same  price.  White  clover  honej^ 
brings  so  much,  buckwheat  so  much.  The  hone}'  with  the  fine, 
delicate  flavor,  the  thoroughly  bee-ripened,  well-preserved,  superior 
article,  will  not  bring  one  cent  more  in  the  general  market  than  the 
ordinary,  pretty  i(ood  honey.  Perhaps,  for  manufacturing  purposes, 
there  is  no  advantage  in  having  such  a  superior  article,  but  for  table 
sauce  there  is;  and  the  only  way  in  which  the  man  who  produces  a 
really  superior  article  can  hope  to  receive  pay  for  his  extra  trouble, 
is  by  selling  direct  to  consumers,  or  by  establishing  a  reputation  for 
his  honey  among  dealers  and  their  customers.  The  only  secret  in 
producing  a  superior  grade  of  extracted  honey,  honey  that  will  be 
the  equal  of  that  that  drips  from  the  delicate  morsel  of  comb  at  the 
tea  table,  is  that  of  leaving  it  on  the  hive  until  it  is  sealed  and 
thoroughly  ripened.  Leaving  the  honey  on  the  hive  a  few  weeks 
after  it  is  sealed  seems  to  give  an  added  ripeness  or  richness.  Of 
course,  robbers  are  readv'  to  give  trouble  after  the  close  of  the 
season,  but  the  use  of  bee  escapes  overcomes  this  difficult}-.  When 
the  supers  are  freed  from  bees  by  the  use  of  bee  escapes,  the  hone}' 
is  usually  cold  by  the  time  it  is  off  the  hive,  it  having  lost  the  heat 
imparted  to  it  by  the  bees,  and  it  does  not  extract  nearly  as  easily  as 
though  the  bees  had  been  brushed  off  and  the  honey  extracted  im- 
mediatel}'.  The  proper  course  is  to  stack  the  supers  up  in  a  warm 
room,  one  heated  bj-  a  stove,  until  the  honey  is  warmed  through, 
when  it  may  be  thrown  out  with  the  greatest  ease.  I  am  aware  that 
this  system  is  not  the  one  usually  followed,  but  I  believe  it  has  de- 
cided advantages  over  other  systems,  and  results  in  honey  of  a 
superior  quality.  Have  plenty  of  combs  and  supers;  tier  up  the 
same  as  in  the  production  of  comb  honey;  leave  the  combs  on  the 
hive  until  the  honey  is  thoroughly  ripened;  remove  the  honey  by  the 
use  of  bee  escapes,  and  warm  it  up  artificially  when  ready  to  extract. 


116 


ADVANCED  BEP:  CULTURE. 


CQ 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  117 

This  plan  y:reatly  lessens  the  work  diiriny:  the  busy  season,  as  about 
all  there  is  to  do  is  to  see  that  plenty  of  surplus  room  is  provided. 
If  the  harvest  is  prolongfed,  lasting-  several  weeks,  it  is  quite  likely 
that  some  of  the  supers  will  be  ready  to  come  off  before  the  harvest 
is  over,  and  it  may  be  best  to  remove  them  if  they  are  becoming- 
piled  up  too  high. 

It  seems  almost  unnecessary  to  say  that  I  would  use  a  queen- 
excluding  honey  board  over  the  brood  nest.  If  bee  escapes  are  to  be 
used,  the  presence  of  brood  in  a  super  will  defeat  the  plan,  as  the 
bees  will  not  desert  the  brood.  If  we  are  going  to  brush  off  the  bees 
and  extract  the  honey  at  once,  no  honey  that  is  thoroughly  ripe  can 
be  successfully  extracted  without  at  the  same  time  throwing  out 
some  of  the  unsealed  brood  if  any  is  in  the  comb.  With  unusually- 
deep  combs  in  the  brood  nest,  it  may  be  advisable  to  use  shallower 
combs  in  the  supers,  but  with  combs  no  deeper  than  the  Langstroth,  I 
doubt  the  advisability  of  having  any  shallower  combs  for  the  supers. 
In  the  production  of  extracted  honey  there  is  not  much  to  choose 
between  an  eight-frame  Langstroth  hive  and  a  ten-frame  one,  unless 
out-apiaries  are  to  be  established,  when  the  ten-frame  hives  seem  to 
enable  the  bees  to  bear  neglect,  to  shift  for  themselves,  to  better  ad- 
vantage. They  are  less  likely  to  run  short  of  stores.  Some  bee- 
keepers use  only  nine  combs  in  a  ten-frame  super,  or  seven  combs 
in  an  eight-frame  super,  thus  inducing  the  bees  to  lengthen  out  the 
cells  and  make  the  combs  thicker.  The  honey  ripens  more  slowly 
in  such  deep  cells,  but  the  uncapping  is  thereby  greath'  facilitated. 
When  the  combs  are  uncapped,  the  cappings  should  be  given  a 
thorough  opportunity  to  drain,  and,  if  they  are  kept  clean,  the  water 
in  which  they  are  melted  when  they  are  rendered  into  wax  ma\'  be 
made  into  vinegar.  H.  G.  Sibbald.  of  Ontario,  has  the  best  uncap- 
ping box  that  it  has  been  my  good  fortune  to  see.  It  is  five  feet  long, 
16  inches  wide,  and  made  in  two  sections,  each  nine  or  ten  inches 
deep.  The  lower  section  is  for  honey,  and,  with  the  exception  that 
the  corners  are  halved  together,  it  is  simph'  a  well-nailed  and  neatly 
made  box,  waxed  inside  at  all  joints,  with  a  honey  gate  at  one  end  to 
draw  off  the  honey;  the  legs  being  a  little  shorter  at  the  end  having 
the  gate,  so  that  the  honey  will  run  off  readily.  The  top  half  or  sec- 
tion is  made  in  the  same  manner,  only  that,  instead  of  a  board  bot- 
tom, it  has  a  wire  screen  bottom  which  allows  the  honey  to  drain 
from  the  cappings.  The  bottom  section  is  halved  on  the  inside, 
upper  edge,  and  the  top  section  halved  on  the  outside  lower  edge. 
Being  made  in  this  manner,  the  lower  edge  of  the  upper  section  tits 
inside  the  lower  one,  and  thus  no  honey  runs  down  outside  the 
lower  box. 


118  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

After  the  honey  has  been  thorougfhly  ripened,  and  is  extracted, 
and  found  to  be  in  possession  of  all  the  fine  (jualities  I  have  men- 
tioned, what  shall  be  done  with  it  ?  How  shall  it  be  treated  that  it 
maj'  retain  its  flavor  ?  The  key  to  success  in  this  direction  is  exclu- 
sion of  the  air.  Seal  it  up  in  glass  jars,  or  tin  cans,  or  in  clean  bar- 
rels; and  the  sooner  this  is  done  (after  the  particles  of  wax  and  scum 
have  raised  to  the  top)  the  less  the  escape  of  aroma.  M3'  preference 
is  a  round,  jacketed,  tin  can,  with  a  flat  top,  and  a  large  screw-cap 
in  the  top.  A  five-gallon  can  of  this  kind,  holding  60  pounds  of 
honey,  can  be  bought  for  about  30  cents.  This  stj-le  of  package  can 
be  rolled  on  the  floor.  A  barrel  is  really  the  cheapest  package  for 
storing  or  shipping  honey,  and  when  we  know  that  honey  is  to  be 
shipped  to  some  manufactory,  there  is  no  objection  to  the  use  of 
barrels  if  they  are  well-made. 

Upon  the  approach  of  cool  weather,  most  honey  will  candy;  and, 
if  sealed  up  tight,  and  put  away  in  a  cool  place,  it  wmII  remain  in  that 
condition  for  years;  and  when  brought  slozvly  and  carefully  back  to  its 
liquid  state,  it  will  be  found  to  have  retained  its  original  "flavor, 
aroma  and  boquet."  Too  much  stress  cannot  be  placed  upon  the 
care  necessary  in  licjuefying  candied  honey.  So  many  think  if  honey 
does  not  boil  it  cannot  be  injured.  The  temperature  of  boiling  water 
will  ruin  the  flavor  of  honey.  When  a  can  of  candied  hone^'  is  placed 
over  a  stove,  or  in  any  other  hot  place,  the  outside  of  the  cake  of 
honey  soon  melts,  and  this  may  become  very  hot  before  the  rest  of 
the  cake  has  dissolved.  In  a  tank  of  hot  water  is  the  best  place  to 
liquefj'  a  can  of  honey, but  the  temperature  should  never  go  above  160 
or  17()  degrees;  and,  by  the  way,  when  melting  the  honey,  don't  loosen 
the  screw-cap  and  leave  it  open;  as  it  only  allows  the  escape  of  the 
aroma. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  119 


TIhe  Marlle^ifiM  of  Hoine^e 


L^  ^O  raise  a  g-ood  crop  of  honey  cheaply,  and  to  sell  it  to  the  best 

advantag-e,    are    two    quite   different    processes,    requiring- 

_[         greatly   varying  qualifications.     Seldom    do  we   find   all  of 

these  qualifications  in  the  highest  degree   in  one  person.     I 

believe  that  the  majority  of  bee-keepers  are  better  bee-keepers  than 

they  are    business-men;  or,  perhaps,  salesmen  is  more    properly  the 

word  to  use.     Many   of   them  can't   get  far  enough  away  from  a  bee 

hive  to  sell  the  honey  that  has  been  stored  in  it — or  think  they  can't. 

Every  energy  is  bent  to  the  securing  of  a  great  crop;  having  secured 

it,  many   a  bee-keeper  is  actually   puzzled  as   to  how  to   put  it  on  the 

market  in  the  best  shape,  or  how,  or  where,  to  sell. 

Of  course,  the  first  step  in  the  marketing  of  honey,  is  its  prep- 
aration for  the  market.  About  all  the  preparation  needed  for  comb 
honey  is  to  clean  the  sections  of  propolis,  and  pack  them  in  no-drip 
cases  with  glass  fronts.  If  it  is  to  be  sent  to  a  distant  market,  and 
the  shipment  is  less  than  a  car  load,  the  cases  should  be  packed  in 
crates.  Not  boxes,  as  these  would  hide  the  honey,  but  crates,  with 
slats  on  the  side  that  will  allow  a  view  of  the  honey.  A  crate  may  be 
made  to  hold  nine,  twelve  or  sixteen  cases.  A  little  straw  in  the 
bottom  helps  to  break  the  force  of  jars.  The  ends  of  a  slat  on  each 
side,  near  the  top  of  the  case,  are  allowed  to  project,  and  thus  form 
handles.  The  position  of  the  handles  shows  which  side  up  the  crate 
should  be  kept.  In  fact,  these  handles  are  so  inviting  that  there  is 
no  disposition  to  put  the  crate  in  a  wrong  position.  The  handles  are 
so  short  that  it  can't  be  "dumped"  without  dumping  it  upon  the  toes 
of  the  carriers.  Cases  of  honey  crated  in  this  manner  never  tumble 
over,  and  they  reach  their  destination  free  from  even  the  finger 
marks  of  a  dirty   hand.     When   honey  is   shipped  by   freight,  it   is 


120 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE, 


(|uite  imjiortant  that  the  combs  stand  parallel  with  the  track.  If 
they  are  crosswise  of  the  track,  the  buinpiri}^  toj^fether  of  the  cars 
breaks  the  combs  much  easier  than  when  the  combs  are  parallel  with 
the  track.  For  this  reason  it  is  well  to  have  a  large  label  pasted 
ui)on  the  top  of  the  crate,  with  a  larjre  i^^'^'  pointinj^f  lenjifthwise  of 
the  combs,  and  accompanied  by  the  followin<i"  in  bold  ty])e:  "Load 
with  the  hand  j^ointin}^'-  toward  the  end  of  the  car,  or  the  side  of  the 
waj^on." 

Much,  both  wise  and  otherwise,  has  been  said  about  develoj)- 
in»if  home-markets.  Much  depends  ujion  the  kind  of  home-market 
there  is  to  develop,  and  the  kind  of  honey  there  is  to  be  sold;  yes,  and 
upon  the  man.  'I'he  best  honey  producing,'-  fields  are  often  far  distant 
from  the  best  markets;  the  best  place  in  which  to  ])roduce  honey  is 
not  always  the  best  in  which  to  sell  it.  Such  bein.iif  the  case,  there  is 
not  much  encourajjfement  in  tryintjf  to  build  up  a  home  market,  par- 
ticularly for  the  finer  <i:rades  of 
com  I)  honey,  and.  es]>ecially  if  the 
home  market  is  sui)plied  with 
"farmer-honey"  that  raised  with 
a  lick  and  a  brush  —  that  is  sellin*:' 
at  retail  for  two-thirds  what  a 
ilrst-class  article  will  net  when 
sold  by  a  commission  man  in  a 
distant  city.  Many  bee-keepers 
have  been  able  to  sell  to  advantaj^e, 
in  the  home  markets,  unfinished 
sections,  and  lower  {grades  of  honey.  In  many  local  markets,  such 
grades  of  honey  will  sell  for  as  much  as  the  choicest  honey  put  up  in 
"gilt  edge"  style,  while  the  commission  markets  of  a  large  city  are  a 
poor  place  in  which  to  sell  "off"  grades  of  honey.  To  many  grocers, 
in  country  towns,  honey  is  honey,  much  the  same  as  butter  is  butter. 
In  selling  honey  to  retail  dealers,  they  must  be  visited  regularly,  and 
kept  supplied  with  honey.  In  short,  the\-  must  be  followed  ui*  and 
looked  after  as  carefully  as  commercial  travellers  look  after  their 
customers.  Grocers  must  be  educated  to  know  that  honey  can't  be 
sold  unless  it  is  kept  in  sight — and  it  should  be  kept  under  glass  to 
protect  it  from  flies  and  dust.  A  handsome  display  in  a  front  win- 
dow is  a  drawing  card. 

The  putting  up  of  extracted  honey  for  the  market  calls  for  a 
large  amount  of  thought,  care  and  skill.  Mr.  McKnight,  of  Canada, 
once  said  that  "The  product  of  no  other  industry  is  jiut  upon  the 
murket  in  such  a  cumbrous,  uncouth  and  slovenly  form."  This  may 
seem  a  little  over-drawn,  but  it  Is  worth  thinking  of.     The   majority 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  121 

of  people  prefer  extracted  honey  in  the  liquid  form,  althoug-h  this  is 
largely  a  matter  of  education.  There  is  probably  no  more  attractive 
form  in  which  it  can  be  put  up  for  the  retail  trade  than  in  the  li(|uid 
form  in  bottles  of  clear  flint  glass,  with  tin  foil  caps  and  dainty 
labels.  A  much  cheaper  package  is  that  of  tin,  but  it  hides  the 
beauty  of  the  honey.  The  friction-top  cans  are  the  best  tin  package. 
They  do  not  leak,  yet  they  can  be  easily  opened  and  the  honey  ex- 
amined. The  lack  of  attractiveness  in  the  package  must  be  made  up 
in  the  label,  as  is  the  case  with  all  goods  put  up  in  tin  cans.  Ouite 
a  little  candied  honey  has  been  sold  in  paper  sacks.  The  sacks  are 
made  of  heavy  Manila  paper,  paraffined,  the  honey  put  in  while  in 
the  liquid  state,  and  then  allowed  to  granulate.  The  sacks  can  be 
set  into  small  boxes,  a  la  Qg^  crate  fashion,  the  boxes  holding  them 
square  until  the  honey  candies,  when  the  sacks  of  honey  can  be 
packed  for  shipment  like  so  many  bricks.  The  purchaser  can  peel 
off  the  sack,  and  melt  up  the  honey,  if  he  prefers  it  in  that  state. 
The  cost  of  the  package  is  only  about  ouc-toith  that  of  tin.  Every 
package  of  liquid  extracted  honey  intended  for  the  retail  trade 
should  have  an  explanatory  label  stating  that  honey  will  candy  upon 
the  approach  of  cool  weather,  and  all  packages  of  extracted  honey, 
whether  licjuid  or  candied,  should  bear  labels  explaining  how  to 
liquefy  the  honey  without  injury.  Right  in  this  line,  let  me  say  that 
candied,  extracted  honey  can  be  put  up  in  a  very  attractive  package. 
Let  it  candy  in  the  square,  f)0-pound  tin  cans,  or  it  may  be  bought  in 
in  these  cans  already  candied,  cut  off  the  tin  can  with  a  pair  of  tin- 
ner's snips,  then  cut  up  the  cube  of  honey  into  blocks  of  one  pound 
each,  wrap  them  in  paraffin  paper  to  prevent  soaking,  put  a  sheet  of 
parchment  paper  of  this  to  prevent  breaking,  over  this  slip  a  paper 
carton,  and,  last  of  all,  a  wrapping  of  white  paper  printed  in  gilt  let- 
ters, raised  or  embossed.  The  A.  I.  Root  Co..  of  Medina,  Ohio,  has 
been  the  leader  in  putting  up  honey  in  this  'V/r  luxe''''  style.  For 
cutting  up  the  honey  into  blocks,  they  use  an  ordinary  butter  cutter 
such  as  is  used  in  the  dairy  trade.  Thousands  of  pounds  of  honey 
put  up  in  this  style  have  been  sold  at  retail  in  Cleveland  at  25  cts.  a 
pound.  The  beauty  and  novelty  of  the  package  and  its  contents, 
combined  with  judicious  but  generous  advertising,  made  the  product 
sell  like  the  proverbial  ''hot  cakes." 

Many  men  have  made  large  wages  selling  honey  direct  to  con- 
sumers. They  systematically  canvass  a  city,  or  portion  of  a  city, 
carrying  honey  with  them,  giving  "tastes,"  or  small  samples,  taking 
orders,  and  having  regular  days  of  delivery. 

Of  course  all  men  are  not  adapted  to  the  retailing  of  honey.  Mr. 
M.  A.  Gill,  of  Colorado,  who   produces  about  two  car  loads   annually 


122  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

of  comb  honey,  saj's  he  prefers  to  sell  it  in  a  lump  to  some  man  who 
wishes  to  retail  it,  while  he  will  turn  his  attention  to  the  production 
of  another  crop  of  honey.  But,  even  if  a  man  does  nqt  retail  his  crop 
of  honey,  there  is  no  reason  why  he  should  not  use  care  and  good 
judji^ment  in  selling  it  at  wholesale.  If  the  honey  is  to  be  sold  on 
commission,  the  most  important  point  of  all  is  that  the  commission 
merchant  be  reliable.  If  in  doubt,  consult  the  editors  of  bee  jour- 
nals. Of  course,  they  may  sometimes  make  mistakes,  but,  usualh' 
they  are  quite  well  informed  regarding-  the  reliability  of  the  princi- 
pal dealers  in  honey.  After  all,  an  out  and  out  sale  of  the  entire 
crop,  at  the  end  of  the  season,  is  the  most  satisfactory,  although  so 
high  a  price  is  not  usually  realized  as  when  the  crop  is  sold  on  com- 
mission. Some  bee-keepers  make  a  business  of  wholesaling  their 
own  honey,  that  is,  selling  it  to  the  same  class  of  buyers  as  patronize 
the  commission  men.  It  recjuires  some  little  time  to  work  up  such  a 
trade,  but,  once  it  is  secured,  it  is  easily  held.  The  tirst  thing  is  to 
get  a  list  of  those  men  who  use  large  (luantities  of  honey.  A  local 
druggist  can  usually  furnish  the  namesof  many  of  the  manufacturing 
druggists;  the  grocery  man  can  give  the  names  of  the  bakers;  and  an 
advertisement  in  the  journals  will  probably  reach  all  of  the  bottlers 
of  honey.  These  lists  of  names  should  be  arranged  systematically. 
Probably  the  card  system  would  be  as  good  a  form  to  have  them  in 
as  an}'  that  could  be  found.  Samples  of  honey  and  prices  should  be 
mailed  out  to  these  lists,  and  to  those  who  in(iuire  for  samples. 
Where  a  man  has  the  time  and  ability  to  look  after  the  matter,  this 
is  really  a  very  satisfactory  method  of  disposing  of  large  crops  of 
honey,  year  after  year,  at  a  substantial  advance  over  what  would  be 
secured  were  the  honey  consigned  to  commission  merchants. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  123 


l^ipat©ry  B©e°lle©piini^o 


T  is  seldom  that  one  locality  abounds  in  all  of  the  honey-produc- 
ing' plants  that  ma^'  be  found  by  making-  short  journeys  in  dif- 
ferent directions.  A  locality  unequaled  for  earl}'  bloom  may 
be  sadly  deficient  in  the  clover  and  basswood  blossoming-  so 
profusely  at  mid-summer  onh'  a  few  miles  distant,  while  a  few  miles 
farther  on  maj-  be  a  swamp  or  river  bottom  that  is  of  little  value  as  a 
bee  pasture  until  gorgeous  with  the  purple  and  gold  of  autumn  flow- 
ers. It  will  be  readily  seen  wh^^some  bee-keepers  occasionally  find 
it  profitable  to  move  their  apiaries  once  or  twice  during  the  season. 
Some  notable  successes  in  this  line  have  been  made  in  Florida, 
where  the  honey  from  the  orange  blossom  comes  in  March,  then  a 
move  of  perhaps  50  miles  allows  the  bees  to  enjoj^  the  bloom  of  the 
saw-palmetto,  and,  later,  another  crop  may  be  secured  bj-  moving  to 
the  mangrove  region.  After  the  harvest  of  sage  hone^'  is  over  in 
California,and  vegetation  in  the  mountain  canons  has  turned  drj-  and 
brown,  a  move  of  20  or  30  miles  will,  in  some  localities,  place  the 
bees  among  thousands  of  acres  of  blooming  bean  fields  from  which 
may  be  gathered  a  white  honey  of  fine  flavor.  In  Canada  several 
bee-keepers  make  a  good  profit  each  fall  by  moving  their  bees  to 
buckwheat  regions.  In  Europe  bee-keepers  move  their  bees  to  the 
heather  fields,  and  then,  later,  to  the  buckwheat;  in  fact,  so  many 
move  their  bees  to  the  buckwheat  that  a  train  is  sometimes  made  up 
expressly  for  carrying  the  bees  to  these  pastures.  Several  j'ears 
ago,  a  younger  brother  of  mine,  who  had  not  left  home,  came  to  my 
place  early  in  August  and  carried  home  with  him  20  colonies  of  my 
bees;  as  there  was  an  abundance  of  goldenrod,  boneset  and  willow 
herb  in  his  locality,  and   none  in  mine.     An   empty  storj'   filled  with 


124 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


^^j>*',-^.  .-^- 


t^Mt^^ys"^ 


^  .„.:%-v4Nife^ 


^^;-'j8f1  '-^^'<  tli!^^  A.'^^T^* 


»><*  t«I^  ->"-* 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  125 

empty  combs  was  placed  over  each  colonj',  and  the  top  covered  with 
wire  cloth.  A  hay  rack  was  covered  with  haj'  to  the  depth  of  about 
two  feet,  the  hives  set  upon  the  hay,  and  held  tojjether  in  a  bunch  by 
passinjc  a  rope  around  them.  The  journey' of  25  miles  was  made 
without  mishap.  Those  20  colonies  furnished  400  pounds  of  surplus; 
besides,  they  needed  no  feeding-  for  winter,  while  the  bees  kept  at 
home  stored  no  surplus,  and  each  colony  required  feeding,  on  the 
average,  about  15  pounds. 

Had  buckwheat  yielded  well,  which,  in  this  locality-,  happens 
about  once  in  a  dozen  years,  nothing  would  have  been  gained  b}'  the 
move.  The  inability  to  foretell  the  hone}'  flow^  in  any  locality,  is  the 
greatest  obstacle  in  the  wa\'  of  successful  migratory  bee-keeping. 
Local  showers  sometimes  cause  a  great  difference  in  the  jields  of 
honey  in  localities  only  a  few  miles  apart,  but  migratorj-  bee-keeping 
does  not  allow  us  to  take  advantage  of  this,  as,  by  the  time  we  have 
moved  to  the  locality  that  is  furnishing  honey,  the  flow  there  may  be 
over,  and,  possibly,  started  up  in  the  home-yard.  There  is  nothing 
to  be  gained  b}-  changing  one  possibility-  for  another  of  equal  value. 
But  moving  to  another  location  which  promises  well  at  a  time  when 
we  kiiozL'  nothing  will  be  gathered  if  the  bees  are  kept  at  home,  is  a 
far  different  thing.  For  instance,  only  forty  miles  from  here,  on  a 
direct  line  of  railroad,  is  a  locality  where  it  is  nothing  unusual  for 
100  pounds  of  comb  honey,  per  colony,  to  be  secured,  yet  >/o//ii//,i^'  is 
in  bloom  here  at  that  time.  The  expense  of  moving  to  and  from  a 
locality  no  farther  away  than  this  need  not  be  so  very  great.  From 
30  to  40  colonies  can  be  moved  on  a  hay  rack;  or  a  special  rack  might 
be  made  w  hich  would  accommodate  50  colonies.  An  apiarist  w^ho  is 
going  to  practice  moving  his  bees  to  secure  better  pasturage,  must 
have  hives,  fixtures,  and  other  arrangements  suitable  for  that  pur- 
pose. The  arrangements  ought  to  be  such  that  three  or  four  min- 
utes would  be  sufficient  for  preparing  a  hive  for  moving.  One  of 
the  greatest  advantages  of  fixed,  or  self-spaced,  frames  is  that  they 
need  no  fastening  when  the  apiary  is  to  be  moved.  Of  course  bees 
moved  in  hot  weather  must  have  abundant  ventilation;  but  this  alone 
will  not  save  the  brood,  if  they  are  long  confined.  To  save  the  brood 
the  bees  must  have  plenty  of  water. 

Some  localities  are  blessed  with  an  almost  continuous  flow; 
spring  flowers, white  clover,  basswood,  and  fall  flowers;  and,  by  the 
way,  a  man  who  is  to  make  a  specialty  of  bee-keeping  ought  to  seek 
such  a  locality;  but  many  who  are  alread}'  engaged  in  bee-keeping 
are  permanently  located,  have  friends  and  relatives  living  near,  and 
prefer  not  to  seek  a  new  location  even  if  the  profits  would  be  thereby- 
increased.     Then,  again,  it  is  difffcult  to  find  a  flrst-class  localit}'  for 


126 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


m 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


127 


clover  and  basswood  that  is  equally  g-ood  for  fall  flowers;  and,  the 
better  the  locality  the  greater  the  dang-er  of  its  being-  overstocked  by 
its  very  attractiveness  bringing  together  so  many  bee-keepers. 

There  is  no  question  but  what  many  bee-keepers  can  secure  a 
bountiful  crop  of  fall  honey  by  moving  their  bees  at  the  right  time, 
but  a  word  of  caution  may  not  be  out  of  place  right  here.  Some  fall 
hone}',  that  from  aster,  for  instance,  is  sadly  unlit  for  winter  stores. 
So  disastrous  has  fall  honey  proved  for  winter  stores,  in  some  locali- 
ties, that  the  bee-keepers  there  have  given  up  trying  to  winter  their 
bees  unless  they  substituted  ea\-\y  gathered  stores,  or  fed  sugar.  I 
know  of  one  bee-keeper   in   such    a  locality    who   secured    bountiful 


On  the  Road. 

crops  of  fall  honey  from  the  surrounding  swam]i~,  but  was  utterly 
unable  to  winter  his  bees,  prepare  them  as  he  might,  and  he  finally 
fell  to  shaking  them  off  the  combs  at  the  close  of  the  season  (thus 
saving  the  honey),  and  restocking  his  apiary  in  the  spring  with  bees 
from  the  South.  So,  I  say,  beware  when  you  move  your  bees  to  fall 
pastures  of  asters  and  swamp  flowers. 

There  is  another  form  of  migratory  bee-keeping  that  has  long 
been  the  dream  of  apiarists,  that  of  starting  with  an  apiary  in  the 
South  at  the  opening  of  the  honej"  season,  and  moving  northward 
with  the  season,  keeping  pace  with  the  advancing  bloom,  thus  keep- 


128  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

\ng  the  bees  "in  clover"  the  entire  summer.  The  difficulties  to  be 
overcome  are  larj^ely  those  of  transportation.  There  is  no  singfle 
line  of  railroad  runninjjf  north  and  south  for  a  sufficiently  lon<i:  dis- 
tance to  make  a  success  of  mij^ratory  bee-keepinj^^.  When  shijjpinj^ 
bees  by  freiycht,  on  the  mijjfratory  i)lan,  the  delays  at  junction  points 
are  not  only  vexatious  but  disastrous.  It  is  for  this  reason  that 
longiny:  eyes  have  been  cast  at  the  Mississippi  river  and  her  steam- 
boats, and,  once,  Mr.  C.  O.  Perrine  tried  movinyf  several  hundred 
colonies  up  the  Mississippi  on  a  bary:e  towed  by  a  tu^.  The  plan 
was  to  run  up  the  river  nij^hts,  and  "tie  up"  during-  the  day  to  allow 
the  bees  to  work.  There  are  several  reasons  why  the  plan  was  a 
failure.  The  start  was  made  too  late  in  the  season,  and  accidents  to 
the  machinery  of  the  tug  caused  delays.  In  order  to  overtake  the 
bloom  it  became  necessary  to  confine  the  bees  and  run  day  and 
night.  The  confinement  for  so  long  was  very  disastrous  to  the 
bees.  Those  who  aided  in  the  enterprise  believe  that,  rijjhtly  man- 
aged, the  plan  migfht  be  made  a  success.  Mr.  Byron  Walker,  who 
has  had  much  experience  in  moving-  bees  from  the  South,  greatly 
favors  the  Mississippi  plan  of  migratory  bee-keeping.  He 
would  not  put  the  bees  un  a  barge  and  tow  them  with  a  tug,  but 
would  load  them  upon  a  regular  steamer  running  up  the  river,  set- 
ting them  off  at  some  desirable  point,  and  then  shipping  them  by 
another  boat  to  another  point  farther  up  the  river,  as  the  How  beg^an 
to  wane.  In  the  fall  he  would  take  the  bees  back  South  for  the 
winter, 

Kig-ht  here  a  hj'^pothetical  (|uestion  comes  to  mind.  Supposing 
that  an  apiary  moving  up  the  Mississippi  secures  as  much  as  six 
ordinary  croi)s  of  honey  six  timesas  much  as  a  stationary  apiary  — 
would  this  be  more  profitable  than  six  stationary  apiaries  ?  In  other 
words,  which  is  the  more  i)romising  tleld  for  enterprise,  following  up 
the  season,  or  establishing  out-apiaries?  Upon  this  i)oint  there  are 
many  things  to  be  considered,  and  varyingcircumstances  would  leatl 
to  different  decisions.  To  establish  six  apiaries  would  recjuire  con- 
siderable capital,  and  the  labor  of  caring  for  the  honey  crop  would 
all  come  at  one  time,  while  there  would  be  only  one  "chance"  of 
securing  a  cro[).  With  the  migratory  plan,  only  one  apiary  would 
be  needed,  and  the  work  of  caring  for  the  surplus  would  not  come  all 
at  the  same  time.  With  the  stationary  apiaries  there  would  be  no 
expense  for  transportation,  which  is  a  big  item. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  129 


Otst°Aplarl< 


'HP]N  a  man  starts  an  out-apiary  it  is  because  lie 
thinks  his  home-yard  overstocked;  that  he  will  get 
enough  more  honey  for  the  division  to  pay  for  the  extra 
labor  incurred.  Overstocking-  is  one  of  the  most  puz- 
zling questions  connected  with  bee  culture.  We  all  know  that  a  local- 
ity can  be  overstocked;  but  localities,  seasons  and  bee-pasture  are 
so  variable  that  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any  set  rules  in  regard 
to  the  number  of  colonies  needed  to  overstock  a  locality.  It  must 
not  be  forgotten  that  the  yield  per  colony,  yes,  and  in  the  aggregate, 
may  be  diminished  to  considerable  extent  by  overstocking  ere  the 
establishment  of  an  out-apiar3'  would  be  a  profitable  move.  At  times 
of  great  honey  flows  it  is  probably  practically  impossible  to  over- 
stock a  locality;  the  overstocking  occurs  during  the  lighter  yields. 
There  is  occasionally  a  man,  notably  Mr.  E.  W.  Alexander,  of  New 
York,  who  makes  a  success  of  keeping  a  very  large  number  of  col- 
onies in  one  apiary,  by  feeding  during  times  of  scarcit3\  Mr. 
Alexander  has  secured  as  high  as  75  pounds  of  extracted  honey 
per  colon}'  from  700  colonies  in  one  yard.  This  question  of 
how  many  colonies  will  justify  the  starting  of  an  out-apiary  is  one 
that  must  be  settled  according  to  the  circumstances  of  each  individ- 
ual case,  and  can  never  be  decided  with  more  than  approximate 
correctness. 

I  have  had  no  experience  with  out-apiaries,  but  I  believe  that  the 
majoritj^  of  the  inexperienced  have  erroneous  ideas  as  to  the  difficul- 
ties and  expenses  attending  the  establishing  and  management  of  out- 
apiaries.  Land  must  be  bought  or  hired;  some  sort  of  a  building  or 
shelter  secured;  and  a  conveyance  of  some  kind  will  be  needed  for 
carrying  bees,  tools  [and  "supplies.     Then,  in  the  Northern  States, 


130 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


m 


o 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  131 

there  is  the  preparation  of  a  cellar  for  winterinof  the  bees,  or  they 
must  be  carted  home  in  the  fall,  and  back  in  the  sprinjj,  or  else  pro- 
tected upon  their  summer  stands.  But  when  a  man  bejjins  to 
number  his  colonies  b3'  the  hundreds,  he  knows  that  so))icf/ii}i^i{ 
must  be  done.  Even  if  out-apiaries  are  not  so  profitable  as 
home-apiaries,  they  are  not  usually  run  at  a  loss,  while  the  removal 
of  the  surplus  bees  at  the  home-yard,  allows  that  to  make  better 
returns. 

When  it  is  finally  decided  to  start  an  out-apiarv.  how  far  away 
shall  it  be  located  ?  We  have  been  repeatedly  told  that,  ordinarilj', 
three  miles  mark  the  limits  of  a  bee's  forag-ing  grounds;  hence, 
if  apiaries  were  placed  six  miles  apart,  there  should  be  no  encroach- 
ment. But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  pasture  jjround  of  each 
apiary  is  somewhat  circular  in  form,  hence  they  might  be  moved  to- 
wards each  other  to  considerable  extent  without  one  encroaching 
Aery  much  upon  the  other.  Dr.  Miller  has  g^iven  a  very  happ^-  illus- 
tration: Lay  two  silver  dollars  side  by  side.  Lift  the  edg-e  of  one 
and  slide  it  over  the  edge  of  the  other.  Notice  how  far  it  may  be 
pushed  over  without  covering  a  very  large  portion  of  the  other. 
Notwithstanding  all  this,  those  who  have  had  experience  in  the  mat- 
ter are  not  inclined  to  place  out-apiaries  nearer  together  than  four 
miles,  and  prefer  to  have  them  five  or  six  miles  apart.  When  the 
team  is  hitched  up  and  on  the  road,  a  mile  or  two  more  travel  does 
not  take  so  ve?y  much  time,  and  the  increased  yield  may  more  than 
make  it  up.  We  cannot  always  secure  the  exact  spot  desired  for  the 
location  of  an  out-apiary,  and  it  would  probably  be  well  to  go  a  little 
farther  than  really  necessary,  rather  than  to  crowd  some  other 
apiary. 

The  mode  of  travel  to  and  from  out-apiaries  will  depend  upon 
circumstances.  Some  men  have  a  honey  house,  with  extractor  and 
kit  of  tools  at  each  apiary;  and  ride  a  bicycle  to  and  from  the  work, 
storing  the  honey  at  or  near  the  apiary-,  and  hauling  it  home  at  their 
leisure.  A  few  men  have  been  fortunate  enough  to  be  able  to 
locate  out-apiaries  near  some  trolley  line  by  means  of  which  the}' 
can  go  and  come  any  hour  of  the  day.  Probably  the  majority  find 
horses  the  most  desirable  means  of  travel;  in  which  case  one  set  of 
tools  will  answer  for  several  apiaries;  it  is  even  possible  to  dis- 
pense with  honey  houses  at  the  apiaries,  a  tent  being  carried,  and 
slipped  over  a  light  frame-work  kept  standing  at  each  yard.  A 
covered  wagon  is  sometimes  made  to  answer  as  an  extracting 
room. 

After  locating  an  out-apiary,  and  deciding  upon  the  mode  of 
travel  to  and  from  it,  the    matter  of  management   brings  up  several 


132 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  133 

questions.  Shall  comb  honey  be  produced,  or  shall  the  honey  be 
taken  in  the  extracted  form  ?  Shall  it  be  managed  upon  the  visiting- 
plan,  or  shall  a  man  be  kept  there  during  swarming  time  ?  I  believe 
that,  in  the  majority  of  cases,  extracted  honey  is  produced  in  out- 
apiaries;  as  by  this  plan,  swarming  can  be  nearly'  controlled,  and  the 
apiaries  visited  only  at  intervals.  Mr.  E.  D.  Townsend,  of  Michigan, 
has  successfully  managed  an  apiarj^  for  extracted  honey  by  visiting 
it  only  four  times  a  3^ear.  The  bees  were  in  ten-frame,  Langstroth 
hives.  At  the  approach  of  the  white  clover  flow  he  visited  them 
to  remove  the  packing  and  put  on  two  upper  stories  of  combs. 
He  visited  them  twice  to  extract  and  again  to  pack  them  up  for 
winter.  His  profits  averaged  S150  for  each  visit.  He  approves  of 
visiting  an  apiary  oftener  than  this,  but  his  experience  shows  what 
can  be  done.  The  reason  for  not  visiting  this  apiary  oftener  was 
that  it  was  50  miles  from  home.  And  this  brings  up  another  point 
in  connection  with  out-apiaries:  If  the^-  are  widely  scattered,  with 
varying  kinds  of  pasturage,  there  is  almost  a  certainty  of  securing  a 
crop  each  year  from  sodic  of  them. 

The  difficulty  in  the  past  in  managing  out-apiaries  for  comb 
honey  has  been  that  of  controlling  swarming,  but  the  discover}^  of 
"shook-swarming"  changed  all  this,  and  gav^e  a  wonderful  impetus 
to  the  establishment  of  out-apiaries.  B^^  visiting  an  apiary  once  a 
week,  and  "shaking"  every  colony  that  has  started  queen  cells,  there 
will  be  little.  If  any,  swarming.  A  few  bee-keepers  succeed  in  pre- 
venting swarming  by  removing  the  queens,  at  the  beginning 
of  the  swarming  season,  but  the  practice  has  never  been  generally 
adopted. 

As  many  colonies  ought  to  be  placed  in  an  out-apiary,  as  the 
location  will  bear;  certainly  enough  to  make  a  day's  work  at  each 
visit  during  the  busy  season,  as  it  would  be  unprofitable  to  drive  off 
five  or  six  miles  to  do  only  part  of  a  day's  work. 

In  those  parts  of  the  country  where  out-door  wintering  is  uni- 
formly successful  there  need  be  no  question  as  to  how  bees  shall  be 
wintered  at  an  out-apiary,  but  where  cellar-wintering  must  be  de- 
depended  upon,  a  choice  must  be  made  between  building  a  cellar  at 
each  apiary,  and  that  of  carting  the  bees  home  in  the  fall,  and  out 
again  in  the  spring.  If  the  bee-keeper  knows,  positively,  that  an 
apiarj'  is  permanently  located,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  consider  the 
construction  of  a  cellar  on  the  ground;  but,  usually,  there  is  more 
or  less  shifting  about  of  out-apiaries,  and,  unless  too  far  from  home, 
I  should  be  inclined  to  follow  Mr.  P.  H.  Elwood  of  New  York  in 
bringing  them  home  in  the  fall  and  carrying  them  out  in  the  spring. 
Mr.  Elwood   sometimes   has   many  as    1,000   colonies   in   one   cellar. 


134 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


V 

1,  - 


o.  i 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


135 


Mr.  E.  D.  Townsend,  whose  out-apiaries  are  widely  scattered, 
buries  his  bees  or  puts  them  in  ''clamps,"  as  it  is  called;  and  where 
the  soil  and  location  are  suitable  this  is  an  excellent  method  of 
wintering-  bees. 


Lake  of  the  Woods,  in  the  Raspberry  Region  of  Northern  Michigan. 

Perhaps  few  can  understand  the  longing  there  is  in  the  heart  of   the  anthor  of  this  book  to  build  him- 
V  self  a  real  log  cabin,  with  stone   fireplace  and  chimney,  on  the  shore  of   some  one  of   the  beautiful  lutle  In- 
land lakes  of  Northern  .Michigan,  establish  an  apiary  hard  by,  right  in  the  woods,  and  pass  at  least  a  portion 
of  each  summer  in  that  sylvan  retreat.     What  a  place  to  take   bee-keeping  friends  in  the  autumn,  when  the 
evenings  could  be  spent  around  a  fire  of  blazing  pine  knots  in  the  fireplace. 


136  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


e  /ipiarieSo 


(fjr\^  HOUSE  apiary,  as  indicated  by  its  name,  is  an  apiary  kept 
//  \  \  in  a  house,  the  bees  passing  out  through  openings  in  the 
/[  )  \  walls.  Formerly,  the  hives  were  built,  permanently,  in  the 
house;  the  shelf  upon  which  they  set  forming  the  bottoms, 
the  walls  of  the  building  forming  one  side,  and  each  division  board 
between  any  two  colonies  forming  one  wall  for  both  colonies. 
Eventually  it  was  discovered  that  building  the  hives  into  the  build- 
ing in  this  stationary  manner  curtailed  or  complicated  many  of  the 
manipulations.  For  instance,  if  a  colony  swarmed,  and  it  was  desir- 
able to  hive  the  swarm  upon  the  old  stand,  moving  the  parent  colony 
to  a  new  stand,  it  could  be  accomplished  only  by  removing  the  combs 
one  by  one,  and  carrying  them  to  a  new  location.  When  the  ordin- 
ary hives  are  used,  any  colony  can  be  picked  up  and  carried  to  any 
location.  A  swarm  can  be  hived  out  of  doors,  then  the  hive  picked 
up  and  carried  into  the  house.  Still  another  point:  Some  bee-keep- 
ers like  a  house  apiary  for  summer,  but  iind  it  a  very  poor  place  in 
which  to  winter  bees,  hence  they  build  a  cellar  under  the  house,  and 
winter  the  bees  in  the  latter,  this  course  being  possible  only  when 
the  hives  are  movable. 

It  will  be  seen  that  although  we  have  a  house  apiary,  we  also 
need  the  regular  hives,  just  the  same  as  though  they  were  to  be  kept 
out  of  doors,  with  this  exception,  that  if  they  are  to  be  used  exclu- 
sively in  the  house,  they  may  be  made  of  cheap  lumber  and  left  un- 
painted.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  supers  or  upper  stories.  If 
we  must  have  regular  hives,  why  have  a  house  apiary?  Well,  here 
are  some  of  the  advantages:  The  house  can  be  locked  against  thieves; 
the  colonies,  apiarist  and  his   tools  are    brought  close   together,  and 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


137 


^ 


r 


138 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


under  shelter;  and  this  latter  point  is  very  important,  especially  in 
the  management  of  a  series  of  out  apiaries  that  are  to  be  visited  peri- 
odically. Rain  puts  an  end  to  bee-work  in  the  open  air,  and  three 
or  four  da5's  of  rainy  weather  sadly  demoralizes  the  plan  of  visiting 
an  apiary  once  a  week,  when  there  is  an  apiary  for  each  day  in  the 
week.  In  a  house  apiary  the  work  can  be  continued  regardless  of 
the  rain.  Of  course,  there  would  be  the  travelling  to  and  fro  in  the 
rain,  but  rubber  coats  and  blankets  overcome  that  difficulty.  Shel- 
ter from  the  hot  sun  is  often  a  great  comfort.  In  taking  off  honey 
there  is  never  any  trouble  from  robber  bees.  Bees  are  more  peace- 
able, that  is,  less   inclined    to   sting,    when    handled    in  a  house.     In 


General    View   of    Mr.    Ludington's    House    Apiaries. 

(Hotit  y  House  in  the  Center — Shop  in  the  Background  ) 

short,  the  advantages,  with  one  exception,  are  nearly  all  \vitli  the 
house  apiary,  and  this  exception  is  the  cost  of  the  building.  Form- 
erly there  was  the  objection  that  the  removal  of  the  surplus  liber- 
ated many  bees  inside  the  building,  where  they  were  a  great  annoy- 
ance upon  the  windows  and  under  foot.  The  introduction  of  the 
bee-escape  has  removed  this  most  serious  objection.  By  means  t)f 
the  escapes  surplus  can  be  removed  with  scarcely  a  bee  entering  the 
building,  and  these  few  find  their  way  out  through  the  escapes  with 
which  the  doors  and  Nvindows  are  provided  at  the  top. 

Probably  the  only  really  serious  objection  to  the  house  apiary, 
aside  from  its  cost,  is  the  great  likelihood  of  queens  being  lost  while 
on  their  wedding  flight;  that  is,  of  their  entering  the  wrong  hive  up- 
on their  return.     The    trouble  arises    from  the  great   number,  simi- 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


139 


larity  and  regularity  of  the  entrances.  To  help  to  overcome  this 
difficulty,  different  portions  of  the  house  are  often  painted  different 
colors  and  different  designs  are  placed  about  the  entrances.  Some 
bee-keepers  have  found  it  desirable  to  rear  their  queens  outside  of 
the  house  and  introduce  them  when  needed. 

Mr.  A.  A.  Ludington,  of  Verona  Mills,  Michigan,  uses  small 
house  apiaries,  made  of  cheap  lumber,  and  winters  his  bees  in  a  cel- 
lar Instead  of  setting  his  hives  upon  shelves,  he  hangs  them  up 
against  the  walls  bv  means  of  heavy  wire  loops.  The  bottoms  to  his 
hives  are  hinged  so  that  thev  can  be  letdown.  This  allows  of  an 
easy  examination  of  the  lower  edges  of  the  brood  combs  where  the 
bees  are  almost  certain  to  build  queen  cells  if  preparing  for  swarm- 
incr  thus  he  is  able  to  foretell  swarming  very  quickly  without  so 
much  as  opening  a  hive.  The  bees  can  easily  be  driven  up  among 
the  combs  bv  the  means  of  smoke,  when,  by  using  a  hand  mirror, 
if  necessary,'  a  view  can  be  obtained  that  extends  up  quite  a  distance 
between  the  combs.  If  the  light  is  insufficient,  some  one  can  stand 
out  of  doors  with  another  mirror,  and  throw  a  flood  of  sunshine 
under  the  hive  that  is  being  examined. 


140  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


=\\OUL  brood  is  a  bacterial  disease  of  the  larvae  or  brood  of 
=<^  bees.  Once  a  single  spore  of  the  disease  comes  in  contact 
with  a  larva,  or  is  fed  to  it,  it  beg^ins  to  increase  with 
wonderful  rapidity;  the  bacteria  feeding  upon  the  larva  as 
maggots  feed  upon  the  carcass  of  a  dead  animal.  The  larva  soon 
dies  and  turns  a  dull  brown,  something  about  the  color  of  coffee 
after  milk  has  been  added  and  it  is  ready  for  drinking.  The  dead 
larvae  soon  lose  their  shape,  and  settle  down  into  ropy,  glue}'  masses 
having  an  odor  somewhat  similar  to  a  poor  quality  of  glue  when  it 
is  warming  on  the  stove,  being  made  ready  for  use.  In  the  earlier 
stages  this  odor  is  seldom  noticeable,  but,  as  the  disease  increases, 
this  odor  becomes  quite  pronounced.  If  a  match,  or  a  wooden  tooth- 
pick, or  something  of  this  nature,  be  thrust  into  a  dead  larva,  and 
then  withdrawn,  the  dead  matter  will  adhere  to  the  stick,  and  draw 
out  in  a  ropy  string,  perhaps  an  inch  in  length,  when  it  will  break 
and  fly  back.  The  dead  larva  finally  dries  down  into  a  thin  brown 
scale  upon  the  lower  side  of  the  cell.  A  large  share  of  the  larvae 
reaches  that  stage  where  the  bees  seal  it  over,  but,  for  some  reason, 
the  cappings  often  become  sunken,  and  sometimes  contain  holes. 
Of  course,  the  healthy  brood  hatches,  while  the  diseased  brood  does 
not,  and  soon  the  combs  present  a  peculiar,  speckled  appearance 
from  part  of  the  cells  being  empty,  while  others  are  sealed  with 
dark,  ragged  cappings.  When  the  bees  attempt  to  rear  another 
larva  in  a  cell  where  a  larva  has  died  of  foul  brood,  it  is  cer- 
tain to  be  a  failure.  This  larva,  too,  dies  of  the  disease.  If  honej' 
IS  stored  in  the  cell  it  becomes  contaminated  with  the  germs  of  the 
disease;  and   if   fed  to  larvae   infects  them   with  the   disease.     The 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  141 

combs  finallj^  become  so  contaminated  with  the  disease  that  scarcely 
any  brood  can  be  reared.  The  old  bees  die  off  from  natural  causes, 
and,  their  being  no  youngf  bees  reared  to  take  their  places,  the  col- 
ony dwindles  away  until  it  becomes  a  prey  to  robber  bees  who  carry 
home  the  honey,  and  thus  start  the  infection  in  their  own  hives.  In 
this  way  the  disease  is  spread  from  hive  to  hive,  and  from  apiar3^  to 
apiary. 

Such,  in  brief,  is  foul  brood;  and.  as  there  is  no  apiarj-  in  which 
there  is  not  a  possibility  that  it  may  appear,  everj'^  bee-keeper  oug-ht 
to  be  able  to  distinguish  it,  and  to  know  what  to  do  when  he  is 
so  unfortunate  as  to  find  it  in  his  apiary.  From  reading  the 
published  descriptions,  many  bee-keepers  have  formed  exaggerated 
ideas  regarding  the  appearance  of  foul  brood,  especially  of  its  ap- 
pearance in  its  firs/  stages.  They  are  looking  for  combs  black  with 
slime  and  rottenness,  a  stench  strong  enough  to  knock  a  man  down, 
and  colonies  dwindled  away  to  mere  handfuls.  The  possession  of 
these  exaggerated  ideas  by  bee-keepers  has  allowed  foul  brood  to 
gain  a  strong  foothold  in  many  an  apiary-  long  before  the  unfortunate 
owner  ever  dreamed  of  its  presence.  At  first,  only  a  few  diseased 
cells  w^ill  be  found.  Of  course,  it  is  not  advisable  that  a  bee-keeper 
be  continually  opening  brood  nests,  and  critically  examining  combs 
for  foul  brood,  but  there  are  certain  danger  signals  that  it  is  well  to 
bear  in  mind.  If  a  colony  shows  signs  of  listlessness;  or  many  dead 
bees  are  found  in  front  of  the  hive;  or,  if  a  peculiar,  unpleasant 
odor  is  noticed,  it  would  be  wise  to  make  an  examination,  ]\7irj/cz'cr 
handling  combs  of  brood,  it  is  well  to  glance  ii)idcrsta)idi)iiiiy  at  the 
brood.  Notice,  if  the  "pearly-  field"  of  unsealed  larvae  is  unbroken.  If 
there  are  desolate  patches;  and  the  sealed  brood  is  scattering  and  in 
patches  instead  of  in  solid  sheets,  examine  more  critically.  If  some 
of  the  larvae  are  discolored,  shapeless,  ropy,  ill-smelling,  some  of  the 
cappings  sunken,  perhaps  perforated,  foul  brood  is  present.  The 
one  sure  sj-mtom  of  foul  brood  is  the  ropiness  of  the  larvae.  If  a 
splinter  be  thrust  into  a  dead  larva,  and  withdrawn,  the  matter  will 
adhere  to  the  splinter,  and  "string  out,"  perhaps  an  inch,  or  more, 
then  break,  and  the  two  ends  flj-  back  to  the  points  of  attachment. 
Without  this  viscidit}'  there  is  no  foul  brood — with  it  there  is  always 
foul  brood. 

Right  here  it  might  be  well  to  say  that  all  dead  brood  found  in 
the  combs  is  not  foul  brood.  There  is  chilled  brood,  starved  or 
neglected  brood,  "pickled"  brood  that  comes  and  goes  from  what 
cause  no  one  yet  knows,  but  in  all  of  these  the  ropiness  is  lacking. 
In  the  majority  of  cases  the  outer  skin  of  the  larva  does  not  seem  to 
decay,  and   enables  the  operator   to  draw  the  whole  larva  from   the 


142 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


858^  ••''•^i 


lltCwtt 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  143 

cell.  Then  there  is  black  brood,  that  has  caused  so  much  havoc  in 
New  York.  In  this  the  dead  larva  is  more  of  a  gelatinous  nature 
than  anything-  else.  It  may  sometimes  string  out  quarter  of  an  inch, 
but  never  more  than  that,  while  foul  brood  will  string  out  at  least  an 
inch,  and  sometimes  much  further.  Black  brood  turns  slightly 
5'ellow,  then  a  dark  brown,  and  finally  becomes  black,  hence  the 
name.  It  does  not  emit  that  gluey  or  "old"  smell  that  comes  from 
foul  brood.  There  is  scarcely  anj^  odor,  and  what  little  there  is 
might  be  called  a  sour  or  fermenting  smell,  like  that  from  decaying 
fruit.  Black  brood  is  verj-  similar  to  foul  brood.  It  spreads  in  the 
same  manner,  and  treatment  is  the  same  as  that  for  foul  brood. 

To  come  back  to  foul  brood  once  more.  The  S3'mptoms  enu- 
merated above  will  be  seen  only  during  the  breeding  season.  In  a 
strong  colony,  after  the  breeding  season  is  over,  the  cappings  are  all 
cleared  away,  and  the  dead  brood  is  entirely  dried  up — mere  scales 
almost  the  color  of  old  comb  itself,  U'ing  fast  to  the  lower  sides  of 
the  cells,  and  drawn  back  more  or  less  from  the  mouths  of  the  cells. 
There  is  probably  no  symptom  of  foul  brood  that  is  more  difficult 
for  the  novice  to  detect  than  these  dried  down  scales,  and,  as  just 
explained,  except  in  the  breeding  season,  they  are  the  only  evidence 
that  can  be  found  of  the  disease.  Here  are  the  instructions  given  by 
Mr.  N.  E.  France.  Inspector  for  Wisconsin,  for  finding  these  scales: 
"Bring  a  brood  comb  up  from  the  hive  to  the  level  of  your  chin;  then 
tip  the  top  of  the  comb  towards  you,  so  your  view  strikes  the  lower 
5/c/r-walls  (not  the  bottom)  of  the  brood-cells  about  one-third  distant 
from  the  front  end  of  the  cells.  Then  turn  so  that  the  rays  of 
bright  light  will  come  over  your  shoulder  and  shine  where  30ur 
eye  is  looking.  Gas  or  electric  light  will  not  take  the  place  of 
good  daylight.  On  the  lower  side-wall,  a  little  back  from  the  front 
end  of  the  infected  cell,  will  be  seen  the  dead  larva  bee,  nearh'  black, 
with  a  sharp  pointed  head,  often  turned  up  a  little,  the  back  portion 
of  the  bee  flattened  to  a  mere  lining  of  the  cell,  often  no  thicker  than 
the  wax  in  the  wall  of  the  comb.  The  base,  or  bottom  of  the  cell, 
likely  looks  clean;  also  all  of  the  other  side-walls  of  the  cell." 

Honey  is  the  means  by  which  the  disease  is  usualh'  carried  from 
one  hive  to  another.  Mr.  Frank  Cheshire  sa3'S  that  the  mature 
bees,  the  queen,  and  even  the  eggs,  are  infected  in  a  diseased  colony. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  where  the  bees  of  an  infected  colony  swarm,  or 
are  shaken  from  their  combs  into  a  new  or  clean  hive,  and  given  no 
combs  in  which  they  can  store  the  infected  hone}"  that  they  have 
brought  with  them,  the  brood  hatched  afterwards,  in  this  newly 
formed  colony,  remains  free  from  disease.  Foul  brood  is  often 
brought  into  an  apiary  by  the  bees  robbing  some  diseased  colony  in 


144 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


m    .5? 


^    .2 


Q     = 


J    a 


ADVANCED  BEli  CULTURE.  145 

a  neig-hboring-  apiary,  and  bring-ing-  home  the  honey.  The  buying  of 
second-hand  honey  cans  often  brings  foul  brood  into  an  apiary.  If 
the  bees  gain  access  to  them  they  soon  lick  up  any  honey  that  maj' 
have  dripped  upon  the  outside  of  the  cans;  or  the  bee-keeper  may 
rinse  out  the  cans  and  throw  out  the  water  upon  the  g:round  where 
the  bees  will  come  and  suck  it  up.  I  have  known  a  bee-keeper  to 
clean  out  a  lot  of  second-hand  cans,  and  feed  the  honey  direct]}^  to 
the  bees,  with  the  result  that  foul  brood  developed  in  every  colony 
that  was  fed.  In  rare  instances  the  buying  of  queens  from  a  dis- 
tance has  introduced  foul  brood  into  an  apiary.  The  queens  them- 
selves had  nothing^to  do  with  disseminating  the  disease,  but  the  bees 
and  honey  that  accompanied  them  brought  with  them  the  germs  of 
the  disease.  It  is  a  safe  plan  to  put  the  new  queen  into  a  clean  cag-e 
and  destroy  the  accompanyin^f  bees  and  cag^e.  After  foul  brood  is 
once  introduced  into  the  apiary,  it  is  disseminated  by  robbing',  by 
the  careless  exposure  of  infected  honey,  by  changing  combs  from 
hive  to  hive,  or  by  extracting  honey  from  infected  combs,  thus  con- 
taminating the  extractor  and  other  combs  that  may  be  broug-ht  in 
contact  with  it. 

When  foul  brood  is  discovered  in  an  apiary,  what  shall  be  done  ? 
In  the  first  place  don't  "lose  your  head,"  as  the  saying  is.  Don't  be 
in  such  a  haste  to  be  rid  of  the  pest  that  a  crop  of  honey  is  lost,  and 
the  work  of  eradication  imperfectly  performed.  Curative  operations 
can  be  carried  on  only  during  a  successful  honey  flow,  when  bees 
will  not  rob.  If  foul  brood  is  discovered  after  the  honey  season  is 
over,  treatment  must  be  postponed  until  the  following  year. 

The  entrances  of  all  weak  colonies  should  be  contracttnl.  and 
any  colony  too  weak  to  make  the  proper  defense,  or  so  weak  that  it 
is  not  likely  to  pass  the  winter,  better  be  destroyed  at  once. 

The  sprayingf  of  the  combs  with  acids,  the  fumigating  of  them 
with  formalin  gas,  the  feeding  of  the  bees  with  medicated  honey,  are 
all  of  little  avail  so  far  as  eradicating  the  disease  is  concerned,  but 
may  do  much  in  the  way  of  checking:  the  disease  and  preventing:  its 
spread.  By  the  proper  feeding  of  medicated  syrup  in  the  spring-, 
the  disease  may  be  so  held  in  check  as  to  interfere  little,  if  any,  with 
securing  a  crop  of  honey.  This  medicated  syrup  is  made  by  mix- 
ing one  ounce  of  salicylic  acid  with  sufficient  alcohol  to  dissolve  it, 
after  which  it  may  be  stirred  into  about  25  tjuarts  of  a  not  too  thick 
syrup  or  honey.  We  should  begin  feeding  the  bees  this  syrup  as 
early  in  the  spring  as  they  will  take  it,  keeping:  each  diseased  colony 
supplied  with  syrup  until  the  flowers  yield  fairly  well.  Weak  col- 
onies better  be  united,  but  there  must  be  caution  in  doing  the  work, 
gradually   bringing  them    together,  that   the  bees   may  not    be  scat- 


146  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

tered  into  other  hives,  until  they  are  side  by  side  before  the  union  is 
made. 

Finally,  the  main  honey  flow  comes  on.  With  us  this  is  the  last 
of  May,  or  fore  part  of  June.  Now  is  M^  time  for  treating- the  dis- 
eased colonies.  Any  colony  that  is  strong-,  and  almost  or  nearly  in 
a  condition  to  cast  a  swarm,  may  be  treated  as  follows:  Set  the 
colony  just  back  of  its  old  stand,  and  upon  the  stand  place  a 
hive  the  frames  of  which  are  furnished  either  with  full  sheets 
of  comb  foundation,  or  with  starters  of  the  same.  Remove  the 
combs  from  the  old  hive  and  shake  off  most  of  the  bees,  in 
front  of  the  new  hive.  Nothing-  more  need  be  done  to  the 
colony  in  the  new  hive.  Ere  it  can  rear  brood  it  will  have  con- 
sumed any  infected  honey  that  the  bees  may  have  brought 
with  them.  Don't  use  drawn  combs  instead  of  starters  or  founda- 
tion, because  the  bees  mig-ht  store  some  of  the  infected  honey  in  the 
comb,  where  it  mig-ht  remain  until  brood  was  being-  reared, 
when,  if  this  honey  should  be  fed  to  the  brood,  the  disease  would  be 
again  started.  I  have  never  found  it  necessary  to  give  the  bees  a 
second  set  of  frames,  and  a  second  shaking,  as  is  practiced  by  some. 
Neither  have  I  found  it  necessary  to  boil  or  otherwise  disinfect  the 
hives.  The  old  hive,  with  the  combs  of  brood,  is  placed  upon  a  new 
stand.  Sometimes  two  sets  of  combs  from  which  the  bees  have 
been  shaken  are  united.  In  ten  days  a  young-  queen,  or  a  ripe  (jueen 
cell,  may  be  given  the  old  colony.  In  21  days  from  the  time  the  bees 
were  shaken  off,  just  as  all  of  the  health}'  brood  has  hatched,  and 
the  young  queen  is  beginning  to  lay,  the  colony  may  be  again  treated 
exactly  as  it  was  at  the  first  shaking,  when  the  result  will  be  another 
healthy  colony,  while  the  old  combs  will  be  entirely  free  from  brood, 
and  should  be  taken  to  some  place  of  safety  (where  no  bees  can  gain 
access  to  them)  and  eventually  treated  as  may  seem  best. 

Colonies  not  populous  enough  to  make  a  good  colony,  each,  when 
shaken,  may  be  treated  in  "pairs."  We  select  the  first  pair,  set  one 
of  them  aside,  as  was  done  with  the  strong  colony,  and  put  a  hive 
containing  frames  furnished  with  foundation,  in  its  place.  We  now 
shake  out  the  bees  into  the  new  hive,  as  before,  only  we  get  all oi 
the  bees,  as  well  as  the  queen.  We  now  put  the  old  hive  with  the 
brood  on  the  stand  of  the  other  hive  of  the  "pair,"  bringing  the 
latter  to  the  location  where  the  first  "shaking"  took  place,  and  shake 
out  the  bees  and  queen  in  front  of  the  hive  into  which  the  bees  from 
the  first  hive  were  shaken,  the  combs  of  brood  being  taken  back  to 
their  old  location  and  united  with  the  combs  of  brood  from  the  first- 
shaken  colony.  We  thus  get  only  one  "shook  swarm"  from  two  col- 
onies, but    it   is  stronger    for  that   reason.     The    united   colonies  of 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  147 

brood  will  be  given  a  j'oung'  queen  in  10  da5's,  and  then  shaken  upon 
a  new  set  of  frames  in  21  days,  as  was  done  with  the  populous  colony 
first  described. 

A  good  part  of  the  success  of  this  plan  is  owing  to  the  medicated 
food  given  in  the  fore  part  of  the  season.  Of  course,  the  same  treat- 
ment may  be  given  without  it,  and  will  be  equally  effective,  so  far  as 
a  cure  is  concerned,  but  the  condition  of  the  colonies,  and  the  amount 
of  surplus  secured,  will  be  far  different. 

There  is  still  another  method  of  treating  foul  broody-  colonies 
in  which  there  is  no  shaking  off  of  the  bees;  and  it  has  always  been  a 
wonder  to  me  that  it  has  not  come  into  more  general  use.  The  plan 
originated  with  Mr.  M.  M.  Baldridge,  of  St.  Charles,  Illinois,  and  is 
called  the  Baldridge  method.  It  is  based  upon  the  fact  that  when  a 
bee  leaves  a  hive  naturall3%  in  quest  of  hone^',  its  sac  is  free  from 
hone3%  and  it  might  enter  a  health}^  colony  without  infecting  it  with 
disease.  Of  course,  when  it  returns  with  a  load  of  newly  gathered 
nectar,  it  is  still  in  that  harmless  condition.  Here  is  the  method  of 
management:  Bore  a  hole  in  the  front  of  the  hive,  just  above  the 
entrance,  and  near  the  side  of  the  hive.  Over  this  opening  fasten  a 
bee  escape  in  such  a  position  that  bees  can  pass  out  of  the  hive 
through  the  escape,  but  can  not  return.  Next  cage  the  queen  of  the 
colony,  laying  the  cage  on  top  of  the  frames.  The  following  morn- 
ing go  to  some  healthy  colony  and  select  a  comb  of  sealed  brood, 
either  with  or  without  the  adhering  bees,  place  it  in  an  empty  hive, 
filling  out  the  hive  with  frames  filled  with  foundation,  and  set  the 
hive  thus  prepared  upon  the  stand  of  the  diseased  colony,  setting 
the  latter  to  one  side,  so  that  the  two  hives  will  stand  side  by  side, 
close  together,  and  fronting  in  the  same  direction.  Have  the  bee 
escape  as  near  as  possible  to  the  entrance  of  the  new  hive  that  is  on 
the  old  stand.  It  will  be  seen  that  all  flying  bees  will  return  and  en- 
ter the  new  hive  on  the  old  stand;  and,  as  fast  as  the  bees  leave  the 
old  hive  by  means  of  the  escape,  thej'  will  return  and  join  the  newly 
formed  colony  upon  the  old  stand,  as  it  will  be  impossible  for  them 
to  enter  the  old  hive.  At  sundown  of  the  first  day  after  setting  the 
old  hive  upon  a  new  stand,  open  the  hive  carefully,  take  away  the 
caged  (jueen,  being  careful  to  take  no  bees  with  her,  and  let  her  run 
into  the  entrance  of  the  new  hive.  All  of  this  work  of  closing  the 
entrance  of  the  old  hive,  setting  it  upon  a  new  stand,  and  removing 
the  caged  queen,  should  be  done  as  carefully  as  possible,  so  as  not  to 
disturb  the  bees  and  induce  them  to  fill  themselves  with  honey. 
Nothing  more  need  be  done  for  about  a  month,  by  which  time  the 
brood  will  all  have  hatched,  and  the  bees  have  left  the  hive  and 
joined   the  new  colony.     The   hive  should   b^  opened  in  some  close 


148  ADVANCED  BKR  CULTURE. 

room  from  which  no  bees  can  escape;  and,  should  a  few  strajifjrlers 
remain  in  the  hive,  they  should  be  destroj'ed.  The  combs  are  now 
free  from  bees  and  health}^  brood,  and  ready  to  be  treated  as  seems 
best,  while  there  is  a  healthy  colony  in  the  apiary  where  once  stood 
the  one  diseased  with  foul  brood. 

When  freed  from  bees  and  healthy  brood,  no  matter  what  the 
method  employed,  the  combs  may  be  emptied  of  honey  with  the  ex- 
tractor, and  then  melted  into  wax.  Of  course,  an  extractor  thus 
used  must  be  most  thoroughly  cleansed  before  it  is  again  used  for 
extracting  combs  of  honey  from  healthy  colonies.  For  disinfecting 
the  extractor  I  would  use  a  strong  solution  of  salicylic  acid,  pouring 
it  on  boiling  hot  from  the  spout  of  a  tea  kettle.  The  matter  of  clean- 
ing the  extractor  is  one  about  which  one  cannot  be  too  thorough. 
Honey  from  such  combs  ought  not  to  be  placed  upon  the  general 
market,  as  consumers  are  liable  to  throw  out  an  empty  package 
where  neighboring  bees  will  come  and  clean  it  up.  Some  bee- 
keepers ship  such  honey  to  bakers  where  the  heat  used  in  bak- 
ing will  destroy  any  germs  that  maybe  in  the  honey.  Thorough 
boiling  of  the  honey  will  kill  the  germs  and  make  it  safe  for  use  in 
feeding  the  bees,  but  before  the  honey  is  boiled  it  must  be  mixed 
with  an  equal  quantity  of  water.  Some  advise  boiling  the  hives,  or 
burning  them  out  on  the  inside  by  painting  them  over  with  kerosene 
and  setting  it  on  lire,  but  I  have  seen  so  many  hives  used  without 
taking  any  such  precautions,  that  I  have  come  to  doubt  their  neces- 
sity. Mr.  McKvoy,  Inspector  of  apiaries  for  Ontario,  says  that  he 
has  cured  thousands  of  cases  of  foul  brood  without  any  such  disin- 
fecting, and  considers  it  wholly  unnecessary.  Some  have  advocated 
the  burning  of  the  combs  with  no  attemi)ts  at  saving  the  honey  and 
wax.  If  only  a  few  colonies  are  to  be  treated,  this  might  be  ad- 
visable, but  the  owner  of  a  large  apiary  (juite  generally  affected  with 
foul  brood,  can  well  afford  to  take  the  necessary  precautions  where- 
by the  honey  and  wax  may  be  saved.  Whoever  undertakes  such  a 
job  must  remember,  however,  that  eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of 
success.  One  drop  of  the  infected  honey  secured  by  a  robber  bee, 
means  disease  once  more  in  the  hive  to  which  it  is  carried.  It  has 
been  suggested  that  the  extracting,  etc.,  be  done  down  cellar.  It  is 
a  cool  place  in  which  to  work,  and  the  bees  can  the  more  easily  be 
kept  out.  Others  have  melted  up  the  combs  at  night  when  no  bees 
were  flying.  There  is  really  no  necessity  of  destroying  the  combs 
and  the  honey  they  contain.  If  a  man  can  not,  or  will  not,  exercise 
sufficient  care,  it  would  certainly  be  better  to  burn  them;  but,  if  he 
has  "gumption"  enough  to  succeed  as  a  bee-keeper,  he  can  save  the 
combs  from  destruction.     It   would  be  well,  however,  for  all  to  bear 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


149 


in  mind  that  one  little  "forg-et"  maj'^  compel  a  repetition  of  the  whole 
business. 

Of  late,  the  bee-keepers  in  some  parts  of  Colorado  have  been  fol- 
low! nj^-  a  plan  whereby  a  man  may  keep  his  apiary  fairly  free  from 
foul  brood,  even  thou^^h  located  in  a  foul  broody  district.  It  is  well- 
known  that  shakin«jf  the  bees  of  a  foul  broody  colony  into  a  clean 
hive,  and  allowinjjr  them  to  build  a  new  set  of  combs,  frees  them  from 
the  infection;  well,  these  Western  men,  just  at  swarming-time,  treat 
every  colony  in  the  apiary  in  this  manner — make  a  wholesale  sweep 
of  the  matter.  As  this  is  done  at  a  season  when  the  honey  flow  has 
commenced,  and  there  will  be  no  more  robbing-  until  the  season  is 
over,  the  apiary  remains  free  of  the  disease  for  that  season.  It  is 
simply  forced  swarming  on  a  wholesale  scale.  The  old  hives  are 
given  new  locations,  and  perhaps  the  combs  of  two  or  more  colonies 
are  put  together  upon  one  stand.  Perhaps  it  ought  to  be  mentioned 
that  the  combs  are  not  shaken  entirely  free  of  bees,  some  being  left 
to  care  for  the  unsealed  brood;  and  caution  is  exercised  that  the 
work  be  not  done  too  early  in  the  season  when  there  would  be  dang^er 
of  chilled  brood  or  from  robbers.  At  the  end  of  three  weeks,  the 
brood  has  all  hatched,  when  the  combs  are  shaken  entirel}^  free  of 
bees,  the  latter,  of  course,  going  back  into  the  hives  and  building 
new  combs,  thus  establishing  colonies  that  are  free  from  the  disease. 
The  honey  is  then  extracted  from  the  old  combs,  and  the  latter 
rendered  into  wax.  It  is  asserted  that  the  wax  will  pay  for  the 
labor,  while  the  new  combs  are  built  at  a  profit.  I  believe  that  this 
plan  can  be  successfully  followed  in  the  East  as  in  the  West; 
although,  of  course,  the  Western  harvest  is  much  longer  than  ours. 


RAVAGES  OF  THE  BEE  MOTH'S  LARVAE. 


150  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ApSsiiriaini  lEssIhilfeits  mt  Fe^lr^ 


^OR  15  years  I  did  not  miss  makinj::  an  annual  exhibit  of  bees 
and  honey  at  our  State  fair;  and,  for  three  or  four  years,  I 
also  made  exhibits  at  the  State  fairs  of  Indiana,  Wisconsin, 
Illinois  and  Missouri.  It  will  not  pay  to  travel  from  State 
to  State  with  an  exhibit,  unless  the  exhibit  is  unusually  larg-e  and  at- 
tractive— enough  so  as  to  win  the  lion's  share  of  the  premiums.  On 
the  other  hand,  it  will  not  pay  to  get  up  a  large,  expensive  exhibit, 
unless  it  is  to  be  exhibited  at  several  fairs.  In  order  to  thus  make  a 
"circuit"  of  several  State  fairs,  it  is  necessary  to  charter  a  freight 
car,  and  travel  with  the  exhibit.  In  no  other  way  is  it  possible  to 
avoid  fatal  delays  at  transfer  points.  The  work  is  terribly  hard; 
there  is  the  packing  up  at  night,  and  travelling  nights  in  a  freight 
car,  the  "hurrah  boys"  of  getting  upon  the  grounds  and  the  exhibit 
set  up  in  time,  and  the  friendly  rivalry  with  competitors,  but 
there  is  a  fascination  about  it  that,  to  an  old  exhibitor,  is  almost 
irresistible. 

There  has  been,  in  times  past,  some  opposition  to  these  apiarian 
exhibits,  on  the  ground  that  they  were  often  made  by  supply  dealers 
who,  in  their  eagerness  to  do  business,  did  not  hesitate  to  urge  a 
man  to  become  a  bee-keeper,  in  order  to  effect  a  sale.  If  the  fruit 
of  the  seed  sown  at  these  gatherings  zvcrc  a  crop  of  producers,  I 
might  admit  that,  possibly,  there  would  be  some  injury  to  existing 
bee-keepers,  but,  after  the  experience  that  I  have  had,  I  am 
thoroughly  convinced  that  nothing  of  the  kind  occurs;  in  fact,  the  ex- 
hibition of  hives,  implements,  and  large  (quantities  of  honey  tastily 
put  up,  impresses   the  crowd    with  the    true  importance,  magnitude 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  151 

and  complexity  of  modern  bee-culture;  imparting-  the  idea  tliat  the 
bee  business  is  uuite  a  business — one  that  cannot  be  picked  up  and 
learned  in  a  day  by  some  Tom,  Dick  or  Harry, 

Anything-  that  increases  the  consumption  of  honey  is  a  benefit  to 
the  pursuit;  and,  as  usually  manag-ed,  these  bee  and  honey  shows 
call  the  attention  of  crowds  of  people  to  the  excellence  and  delicious- 
ness  of  honey  as  a  food;  and  the  producer  and  consumer  are  broug-ht 
face  to  face.  At  a  fair,  people  are  abroad  with  a  disposition  for 
sight-seeing,  investigation,  and  the  purchase  of  novelties  and  nick- 
nacks;  and,  a  fine  display  of  honey,  together  with  its  sale  in  fancy 
packages,  can  not  help  benefiting  the  exhibitor  as  well  as  the  pur- 
suit. Honey  to  be  sold  at  fairs  ought  to  be  put  up  in  small  packages. 
It  may  be  difficult  to  put  it  up  in  packages  so  small  as  to  be  sold  at 
five  cents  each,  but  I  believe  it  has  been  done,  while  there  is  no  difti- 
culty  in  putting  honey  in  packages  that  may  be  sold  for  10  or  25 
cents  each.  People  at  fairs  don't  wish  to  be  burdened  with  heavy 
or  bulky  packages,  and  the  honey  must  be  put  up  in  such  shape  that 
it  can  be  eaten  on  the  grounds,  or  else  carried  in  the  pocket  or  hand 
bag  with  no  danger  of  leakage.  1  remember  that,  one  year,  at  the 
Michigan  State  fair,  Mr.  H.  D.  Cutting  sold  nearly  $40  worth  of  honey 
put  up  in  pound  and  half-pound,  square,  glass  bottles  and  in  small 
glass  pails.  One  year,  at  the  Detroit  Exposition,  at  least  1,500 
pounds  of  "honey  jumbles"  were  sold  at  a  cent  apiece,  by  three  ex- 
hibitors in  the  bee  and  honey  department.  These  "jumbles"  are 
made  with  honey  instead  of  sugar,  and,  for  this  reason,  I'etain  the 
desired  amount  of  moisture  for  a  long  time.  In  selling  them  at  a 
fair,  a  box  of  them  is  opened,  placed  on  the  counter,  and  tipped 
slightly  outwards,  so  that  visitors  can  easily  look  into  it.  The  cakes 
are  round,  with  a  hole  in  the  middle,  and  the  upper  side  is  of  a  golden 
yellow,  with  a  sort  of  granular  appearance  that  is  very  inviting. 
This  side  of  the  cakes  is  turned  uppermost.  Paper  sacks  are  filled 
with  cakes,  putting  five  in  a  sack,  and  a  neat  placard  announces: 
"Honey  Jumbles;  Made  with  Honey  Instead  of  Sugar.  Five  in  a 
Sack  and  Five  Cents  a  Sack."  Another  thing  that  may  be  sold  at  an 
apiarian  exhibit  with  even  greater  profit  than  the  honey  jumbles,  is 
honey  lemonade — if  the  weather  is  hot,  if  it  isn't,  there  is  no  use  of 
attempting  its  sale.  Here  is  the  way  to  make  it:  Into  12  quarts  of 
water  squeeze  the  juice  of  a  dozen  lemons,  add  two  pounds  of  bass- 
wood  honey  and  a  teacupful  of  sugar.  Basswood  honey  being  of 
such  a  strong  flavor,  gives  more  of  a  honey  flavor.  Keep  the  lemon- 
ade cool  with  ice  in  some  large  vessel.  I  used  a  stone  ware  churn. 
Keep  on  the  counter  a  glass  pitcher  filled  with  lemonade,  putting  in 
small  pieces  of  ice,  also  a  few  slices  of  lemon.     Then   have  a  placard 


152 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


w 


Du 


O 


O 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  153 

read:  "Honey  Lemonade:  Most  Delicious  Drink  on  the  Grounds; 
Onlj'  Five  Cents  a  Glass."  I  have  sold  as  high  as  S20  worth  of  this 
in  one  hot  afternoon,  and  the  profits  are  at  least  three-fourths.  Such 
exhibitions  and  sales  certainly  do  the  pursuit  of  bee-keeping-  no 
harm,  while  thej'  bring  a  profit  to  the  exhibitor. 

Neither  ought  the  social  feature  to  be  overlooked.  Every  bee- 
keeper attending  the  fair  hunts  up  the  "Bee  and  Honey  Depart- 
ment," and  only  one  who  has  been  at  an  exhibition  knows  of  the 
many  new  acquaintances  thus  formed,  and  the  old  ones  that  are  re- 
newed. It  is  well  to  have  one  da\"  set  apart  as  "Bee-Keepers'  Day," 
giving  the  date  in  adv^ance  in  all  of  the  bee  journals,  then  all  bee- 
keepers will  be  present  on  the  same  day.  When  possible  to  do  so, 
it  is  an  excellent  plan  for  two,  or  three,  or  more,  exhibitors  to  club 
together  and  take  a  tent,  or  a  portable  house,  each  bringing  his  share 
of  bedding,  provisions  and  utensils,  and  live  a  la  picnic  during  the 
fair.  Some  of  the  happiest  hours  of  m3'  life  have  been  spent  ingoing 
through  just  such  experiences  with  boon  companions. 

I  doubt  ver3'  much  if  the  exhibition  of  bees  at  fairs  is  any  great 
advantage  to  the  pursuit.  The  most  that  can  be  said  in  its  favor  is 
that  they  attract  attention.  There  is  certainly  no  necessity'  of  ex- 
hibiting full  colonies,  unless  it  might  be  at  some  permanent  exhibi- 
tion that  is  to  last  several  months,  when  the  bees  can  be  allowed  to 
fl5%  a  la  house  apiary,  provided  the  apiarian  department  is  on  the 
second  floor.  A  single-comb  nucleus  with  a  queen  and  a  few  drones 
and  workers,  together  with  brood  in  different  stages  of  development, 
can  be  made  to  show  more  that  is  really  interesting  than  can  be 
shown  with  a  full  colony. 

Of  course  it  is  impossible  to  goon  and  cover,  in  detail,  all  the 
points  in  regard  to  planning  and  putting  up  an  apiarian  display,  as 
circumstances  vary  greatly,  but  here  are  a  few  hints:  Extracted 
honey  should  be  shown  in  glass.  Not  common  green  glass,  but  in 
white,  flint  glass.  Have  tin  foil  over  the  corks,  and  small  tasty 
labels.  Aim  to  get  a  white,  or  light  colored  background  for  ex- 
tracted honey.  A  dark  color  gives  it  a  dull,  or  muddy,  appearance; 
I  know  of  nothing  better,  or  more  appropriate,  for  this  purpose,  or 
as  a  background  for  any  apiarian  display,  than  honey  producing 
plants  pressed  and  mounted  on  white  card  boards  and  the  cards 
tacked  upon  the  wall  back  of  the  exhibit.  A  pyramid  of  extracted 
honey  in  bottles,  in  front  of  a  window,  is  a  beautiful  sight;  the  light 
"shimmering  and  glimmering,"  as  it  passes  through  the  bottles  and 
their  contents.  Comb  hone\'  must  be  in  cases  with  glass  next  the 
comb.  For  several  years,  I  exhibited  honey  built  up  into  a  circular 
pyramid.     First  there  was  made  a  stout,  board  wheel,  perhaps  eight 


154 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


feet  in  diameter.  This  was  placed  i)erhaps  two  feet  from  the  floor, 
being-  supported  b}'  blocks  or  boxes.  Attached  to  the  edge  of  this 
wheel,  and  hanging  down,  for  all  the  world,  like  a  woman's  skirt, 
was  a  sort  of  valance  made  of  thin,  blue  cambric  ornamented  with 
some  neat  design  of  gilt  paper  fastened  on  with  paste.  Around  the 
edge  of  the  wheel,  upon  its  upper  surface,  was  set  a  row  of  shipping" 
cases  of  comb  honey,  with  glass  sides  turned  out.  On  top  of  this 
row  was  set  another  row,  the  cases  of  this  row  "breaking  joints" 
with  the  one  below.     Perhaps  four  rows  were  ]>laced  in  this  manner, 


Honey  Exhibit  of  the  Author  as  Shown  One  Year  at  the  Detroit  Exposition. 

then  the  cases  were  turned  so  the  long  way  of  the  cases  faced  out- 
wards, a  fewer  number  of  cases  making  a  row  that  was  slightly 
smaller  than  the  others.  Perhaps  four  rows  were  put  up  in  this 
style,  then  they  were  again  changed  so  that  the  narrow  ends  were 
outwards,  which  again  reduced  the  size  of  the  circle.  In  this  m.m- 
ner  the  size  of  the  circles  was  gradually  diminished  as  the  pyramid 
increased  in  height,  until  its  top  was  only  twi)  feet  across.  That 
these  cases  might  not  be  jarred  out  of  place  they  were  fastened  to 
one   another  by  means  of   small   wire  nails.     Upon    the    top  of   this 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


155 


P3'ramid  was  set  a  larg-e  number  of  two-pound,  square  bottles  of 
hone}'.  On  top  of  the  bottles  was  laid  a  platform  of  glass  made  by 
putting"  tog-ether  two  sheets  of  double-strength  glass,  bound  together 
at  the  edges  with  cloth  pasted  on  and  covered  with  gilt  paper.  Up- 
on the  glass  platform  was  set  more  bottles,  then  another  sheet  of 
glass  a  little  smaller  than  the  first  one,  and  so  on  up,  until  a  pyramid 
of  extracted  honey  was  constructed  upon  the  top  of  the  pyramid  of 
comb  hone}',  the  former  being  surmounted  by  a  huge  boquet  of 
golden  rod.     I  remember   building  one   such    pyramid    that  was    16 


Exhibit  of  Mr.  M.  H.  Hunt,  as  Shown  one  Year  at  the  Detroit  Exposition. 


feet  in  height.  The  spaces  between  the  outer  ends  of  the  cases  in 
the  comb  honey  part  of  the  pyramid  was  filled  with  small,  "dime" 
bottles  of  honey.  By  thus  combining  the  comb  and  extracted  honey 
display,  one  "sets  off"  the  other;  in  fact,  my  competitors  sometimes 
complained  of  this,  but  it  was  their  privilege  to  have  taken  advantage 
of  this  fact  had  they  so  chosen.  Mr.  M.  H.  Hunt  one  year  had  a 
castle  in  which  the  pillars   were  cases  of   comb  honey    piled  up,  and 


156  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

the    balustrade    was    formed     from    panels    of    beautifully   molded 
beeswax. 

There  is  seldom  a  fairyfround  with  no  bees  near  it,  hence,  no 
honey  should  be  exposed.  All  honey  should  be  shut  up  close,  and 
no  stickiness  left  on  the  outside  of  the  packag^e.  Wax  should  be 
molded  into  fanciful  shapes  statues,  or  somethinjj:  of  that  sort,  if 
the  exhibitor  has  the  skill  to  make  them.  Fruits,  vej^fetables,  ears 
of  corn,  and  the  like,  may  be  made  of  wax  by  first  makinjj:  molds,  of 
plaster  of  Paris,  from  the  objects  themselves.  It  is  not  necessary 
that  the  articles  be  solid  wax.  First  soak  the  molds  in  water,  then 
pour  in  a  small  »|uantity  of  melted  wax,  close  the  molds,  and  then 
immediately  shake  them  vij^orously  while  the  wax  is  cooliny:,  thus 
coatinij:  the  inside  of  the  molds  with  wax.  When  the  wax  is  cool  it 
will  come  out  all  in  one  piece. 

Let  the  bejjfinner  not  try  to  show  a  multitude  of  thinofs,  but  let 
what  he  does  show  be  as  jjood  as  it  is  possible  for  him  to  make  it. 
Competition  is  so  very  keen,  at  least  where  the  i^remiums  are  liberal, 
that  it  is  folly  to  expect  i)remiums  upon  second-class  articles. 

Now  that  I  have  reached  the  subject  of  premiums,  it  may  be 
well  to  give  what  I  would  call  a  "model"  premium  list.  I  may  have 
placed  the  premiums  at  higher  figures  than  most  societies  would 
care  to  use,  but  the  amounts  can  be  easily  reduced,  preserving  the 
proportions. 

1st     2nd    3rd 

Most  attractive  display  of  comb  honey $35     S20     $10 

Specimen  of   comb   honey,  not  less   than  ten    pounds, 
quality  and  manner  of  putting  up  for  market  to 

be  considered 10         5 

Most  attractive  display  of  extracted  honey 35       20       10 

Specimen  of   comb  honey,  not   less   that  ten    pounds, 
qualit}^  and  manner  of  putting  up  for  market  to 

be  considered 10         5 

Most  attractive  display  of   beeswax 20       10 

Specimen  of  beeswax,  not  less  than    ten  i)ounds,  soft, 

bright  yellow  wax  to  be  given  the  preference..        <>         3 

Single-comb  nucleus  Italian  bees 10         5 

Single-comb  nucleus  black  bees 10         5 

Single-comb  nucleus  Carniolan  bees 10         5 

Single-comb  nucleus  Caucasian   bees 10         5 

swi:i;i'srAKi:s  on  iu:i;s. 
I)isi)lay,  in  single-comb  nuclei,  of  the  greatest  varii-ty 

of  the  different  races  of  bees 10         5 

Collection  of  queen  bees  of  different  varieties 16         8 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  157 

Honey  vinej^-ar,  not  less  than  one  g-allon,  shown  in  glass  6  3 

Assortment  of  hone,v  candies 4  2 

Pastry  made  with  honey  instead  of  sugar 4  2 

Thebestspecimensof  honey  producing-  plants,  pressed 

and  mounted,  not  to  exceed  25  varieties 15  8 

SWEEPSTAKES. 

The  largest,  best,  most  interesting,  attractive  and 
instructive  exhibition  in  this  department,  all 
things  considered 35       20       10 

I  think  bee-keepers  would  prefer  to  have  "supplies"  included  in 
the  premium  list,  but  the  managers  of  fairs  have  decided  against  the 
offering  of  premiums  on  such  things,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of 
securing  satisfactory  decisions.  The  best  we  can  do  is  to  have  a 
"sweepstakes"  premium  offered  upon  the  largest  and  best  exhibit; 
then  supplies  will  count. 

A  judge  should  never  be  compelled  to  take  an  exhibitor's  word 
for  anything.  Let  the  article  exhibited  show  for  itself.  Don't  offer 
premiums  on  samples  of  different  kinds  of  honey,  when  they  can  be 
so  easily  gotten  up  for  the  occasion  by  mixing.  Don't  put  at  the 
head  of  the  list  such  re(iuirements  as:  "Honey  must  be  of  this 
season's  crop;"  or  "Must  be  the  product  of  the  exhibitor;"  when 
there  is  no  way  of  knowing  whether  they  haxe  been  lived  up  to  or 
not. 

In  my  experience,  one  man  to  award  the  premiums,  and  he  an 
expert,  has  given  better  satisfaction  than  three  judges.  It  is  diffi- 
cult and  expensive  to  get  three  men  that  are  experts,  and,  even  then 
the  work  is  not  always  done  so  conscientiously,  because  it  is  not  so 
easy  to  place  the  responsibility;  each  being  able  to  shield  himself 
behind  the  "other  two." 

Upon  this  point  of  judging,  there  is  one  other  point  often  neg- 
lected that  ought  to  be  printed  in  connection  with  the  premium  list, 
and  that  is  a  "scale  of  points"  for  deciding  in  regard  to  the  merits 
of  exhibits.  Particularly  is  this  true  in  regard  to  honey.  I  would 
suggest  the  following:  Color,  5;  body,  5;  flavor,  5;  comb — straight- 
ness,  5;  color  of  capping,  5;  completeness  of  capping,  5;  uniformity, 
10;  style,  10.  Possible  number  of  points,  50.  By  "uniformity"  is 
meant  the  closeness  of  resemblance  in  the  sections  composing  a 
specimen.  "Style"  including  the  attractiveness  of  the  section  and 
case;  also  the  absence  of  propolis. 

If  a  bee-keeper  is  going  to  make  an  exhibit  of  apiarian  products, 
it  often  happens  that  he  can  also  make  exhibits  in  other  depart- 
ments of  the  fair,     I  haye   exhibited  photographs   in  the   art  depart- 


158  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

ment,  canned  fruit  in  the  fruit  department,  and  the  wife  and  children 
have  sent  thinj^s  to  their  respective  departments.  In  addition  to  this, 
when  making  a  "circuit"  of  the  fairs,  I  used  to  write  them  up  for 
the  Country  Gentleman,  gfetting:  paid  for  the  work.  Fairs  come  in 
the  fall,  after  the  busj'  season  is  over  with  the  bees,  and  if  a  man  has 
the  time,  taste  and  ability  for  this  kind  of  work,  going  from  one 
State  to  another,  as  I  have  done,  he  can  probably  clear  $10  a  day  for 
five  or  six  weeks  in  the  fall.  It  is  scarcely  worth  while  to  prepare 
for  the  work,  however,  unless  there  is  some  expectation  of  following- 
it  for  several  years. 

Just  a  few  parting  words  to  the  beginner:  If  you  make  an  ex- 
hibit at  a  fair,  don't  get  excited.  Keep  cool  and  have  patience. 
Many  unpleasant  things  7)iuy  occur,  but  don't  worry  over  them;  and, 
above  all,  don't  let  the  loss  of  expected  premiums  so  "sour"  you  as 
to  spoil  your  own  enjoyment  and  that  of  your  comrades.  When  you 
leave  home  have  everything  in  readiness,  as  nearly  as  possible,  to 
put  right  up.  Pack  everything  carefully,  but  in  such  a  manner  that 
it  can  be  quickly  and  easily  unpacked.  I  used  to  pack  the  scjuare 
bottles  of  honey  in  boxes  furnished  with  partitions  of  cellular  board, 
a  la  egg-crate,  and,  to  pack  the  bottles  it  was  only  necessary  to  drop 
them  into  the  openings,  and  nail  down  the  cover.  If  the  package 
does  not  indicate  its  contents,  then  mark  it  in  some  way.  Never  be 
compelled  to  open  box  after  box  in  an  exasperating  hunt  for  some- 
thing that  Dins/  be  had  at  once.  And  when  fair  is  over,  don't  "go 
crazy"  to  get  off  the  grounds  the  next  minute.  I  have  known  of 
men  sitting  up  all  night  swearing,  and  sweating  and  fuming,  because 
"their  car  didn't  come,"  or  something  of  that  sort,  and  we  all  went 
out  on  the  same  train  the  next  morning.  At  the  close  of  a  large  fair, 
an  immense  amount  of  goods  are  on  the  grounds;  they  have  been 
several  days  accumulating,  and  it  is  /;/i/y(>ss/7)/r  to  move  them  all  in 
an  hour's  time. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  159 


C  ©  n  11  n  enoi  e  n  t< 


VERY  experienced  bee-keeper  knows,  of  course,  that  the 
mating-  of  a  queen  bee  takes  place  upon  the  wing-,  in  the 
open  air;  the  queen  leaving-  the  hive  for  this  purpose  when 
about  a  week  old.  It  seems  to  be  Nature's  plan  for  prevent- 
ing: in  and  in  breeding;  as  the  chances  are  that  the  queen  will  meet 
with  a  drone  from  some  other  colony  than  her  own.  There  is  no 
doubt  that  there  is  as  much  difference  in  our  bees  as  there  is  in 
our  other  domestic  animals,  and  the  one  thing-  that  has  prevented 
the  development  of  strains  of  bees  far  superior  to  those  we  now 
possess,  is  that  we  have  so  little  control  over  the  choice  of  drones 
with  which  the  queens  shall  mate.  Where  would  our  Shorthorns, 
Jerseys,  Merinos,  Poland  Chinas  and  Plymouth  Rocks  have  been 
now.  if  the  mating-  of  these  animals  had  been  no  more  under  our  con- 
trol than  is  the  mating-  of  our  queen  bees  ? 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  secure  the  desired  object  bj^  con- 
fining- young-  queens  and  drones  in  a  tent,  but,  with  one  exception, 
some  fundamental  principle  has  been  overlooked.  For  instance, 
drones  of  an  improper  ag-e  may  have  been  employed;  besides,  a 
drone  frightened  to  death  and  trying:  to  escape  from  what,  to  him,  is 
a  prison,  is  in  no  mood  to  paj^  his  addresses  to  a  queen.  The  only 
wonder  is  that  there  has  been  an  occasional  success  in  carrying-  out 
this  plan.  The  one  really  successful  attempt  at  mating-  queens  in  a 
tent  was  made  by  Mr.  J.  S.  Davitte,  of  Aragfon,  Georg-ia,  and  was 
described  in  the  February  issue  of  the  Bee-Keepers'  Review,  for 
1901.     The  mating-  tent  was  made  as  follows: 


160 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Twelve  poles,  about  30  feet  in  lengfth,  were  iirml}'  planted  in  the 
ground,  12  feet  apart  in  a  circle.  From  pole  to  pole,  at  the  top, 
heavy  wire  was  stretched  to  keep  the  poles  true,  and  in  place,  and  to 
afford  support  for  the  coverin^'"of  mos(iuito-nettins:.  Wires,  or  sup- 
ports of  some  kind,  are  also  stretched  from  each  pole  to  its  opposite 
neighbor.  The  poles  are  also  braced  from  the  inside.  Common 
boards  are  used  around  the  bottom  to  the  height  of  live  or  six  feet. 

After  the  tent  is  complete,  colonies  of  bees  are  placed  up  close 
against  the  wall  of  the  tent,  on  the  outside,  each  colony  being  given 
two  entrances.     One    is   the    regular   entrance,  outside   of   the  tent, 


Tent  for  Controlling  the  Mating  of  Queens. 


which  is  contracted  by  means  of  (|ueen-excluding  metal,  so  that 
neither  drones  nor  (jueens  can  pass,  but  the  workers  can  pass  out 
and  in,  and  work  in  the  fields  in  the  usual  manner.  The  other 
entrance  opens  into  the  tent,  and  is  large  enough  for  the  passage  of 
a  queen  or  a  drone,  but  is  kept  closed  or  darkened  for  about  a  week 
after  the  colony  is  placed  in  position.  This  is  done  for  the  purpose 
of  educating  the  workers  to  use  the  outside  entrance.  The  drones 
are  not  allowed  to   use  the  outer  entrance   at  any  time,  nor  to  enter 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  161 

the  tent  except  from  11:00  a.  m.  to  1:30  p.  m.  After  the  drones  have 
learned  the  bounds  of  the  tent  they  seem  contented,  and  make  a 
pretty  school  flying-  in  the  top  of  the  tent.  Mr,  Davitte  saj^s  that  the 
manag-ement  of  the  drones  is  the  main  feature  of  the  problem ;  once 
they  become  quiet,  and  reconciled  to  fly  in  the  top  of  the  tent,  the 
problem  is  solved.  Nine  times  out  of  ten,  the  queen  will  not  reach 
the  top  of  the  tent  before  receiving  the  most  prompt  and  gushing- 
attention.  The  queens  are  not  turned  into  the  tent  until  the  drones 
appear  well-satislied  with  the  bounds  of  the  tent,  and,  when  in  that 
condition,  Mr.  Davitte  believes  500  queens  in  a  day  might  be  mated 
in  such  a  tent.  One  3^ear  he  had  about  100  queens  mated  in  the  tent. 
A  queen  would  leave  the  mouth  of  the  hive,  and  return  in  about  five 
minutes,  apparently  mated,  and,  in  three  or  four  days,  would  be 
laying;  and  the  progeny  of  all  of  the  queens  thus  mated  showed  the 
same  markings  as  the  workers  of  the  colonies  from  which  the  drones 
were  taken. 

When  Mr.  Davitte  starts  his  queen  cells,  he  places  his  colonies 
with  selected  drones  around  the  tent,  and  allows  them  to  fly  in  the 
tent  a  short  time  in  the  middle  of  each  day,  as  has  been  explained, 
and,  by  the  time  the  queens  are  old  enough  to  be  mated,  the  drones 
have  become  tamed,  and  so  accustomed  to  their  surroundings,  or 
under  control,  so  to  speak,  that,  to  quote  from  Mr.  Davitte,  "It  would 
interest  a  bee-keeper  to  take  his  place  inside  the  tent  at  noon,  and 
see  the  ladies  meet  the  g-entlemen,  who,  Barkis-like  are  'willin.'  I 
have  seen  the  mating  take  place  before  the  queen  could  reach  the 
top  of  the  tent.  Before  they  separate,  the  queen  and  drone  fall 
nearly  to  the  ground,  and  the  queen  goes  directly  to  her  home  that 
she  left  not  three  minutes  before." 

As  I  look  at  the  matter,  the  principal  trouble  with  experiments 
in  this  line  is  that  the  drones  have  not  been  brought  under  control. 
When  a  drone  has  been  accustomed  to  soar  away  in  the  blue  ether 
for  miles  and  miles,  he  is  not  going  to  be  shut  up  in  a  30-foot  tent  and 
be  contented.  For  a  long  time,  at  least,  he  is  going  to  spend  most 
of  his  time  in  trying-  to  get  out.  As  I  have  already  said,  he  is  in  no 
mood  to  pay  his  addresses  to  a  queen.  Catch  two  wild  birds  at 
mating  time,  and  shut  them  up  in  a  cage.  Do  you  suppose  that  they 
would  mate?  Canaries  have  been  kept  in  captivity  for  many  years. 
They  are  hatched  and  grow  up  in  a  cage.  They  know  no  other  free- 
dom or  life;  and  they  mate  in  a  cage.  Mr.  Davitte  had  his  drones 
flying  for  daj's  in  his  tent  before  any  queens  were  released  in 
the  tent.  Perhaps  many  of  those  drones  had  never  flown  in 
the  outside  air — knew  nothing  of  it.  Having  flown  several  days 
in  the  tent  thej'  became    accustomed    to  that  kind   of   flight,   were 


162  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

in  a  normal  condition,  and    ready  to   mate   with  a  (lueen    should  one 
appear. 

Suppose  we  could  make  a  cage  two  miles  wide,  and  half  a  mile 
hig-h.  Is  there  any  doubt  that  a  queen  would  be  mated  inside  such 
a  tent  ?  Suppose  it  were  reduced  to  one  mile  in  width,  and  one- 
fourth  of  a  mile  high.  Wouldn't  it  be  a  success  ?  Let  us  go  still 
farther,  and  have  it  half  a  mile  wide  and  80  rods  in  height.  Isn't  it 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  it  would  still  be  a  success  ?  The  ques- 
tion then  is:  How  small  can  it  be  and  still  be  a  success  ?  M\'  opin- 
ion is  that  the  size  is  not  so  very  material  as  it  is  to  get  the  drones  to 
fly  and  feci al  home.  One  large  enough  for  that  is,  in  my  opinion, 
large  enough. 

There  is  still  one  more  point:  Not  all  drones,  at  all  ages,  are 
capable  of  fertilizing  a  queen.  Many  experimenters  have  failed 
from  not  understanding  this  point.  They  have  put  nuclei,  with 
young  queens,  into  a  tent,  then  caught  drones  at  hap  hazard  and  put 
them  into  the  tent.  Some  of  them  may  have  been  youngsters,  just 
out  of  their  cradles,  so  to  speak.  Others  may  have  been  old  grey 
beards.  All  of  them  would  certainly  have  been  frightened  out  of 
their  wits  to  have  been  thus  caught  and  shut  up  in  a  tent  away  from 
their  home.  I  think  Mr.  Davitte  has  found  the  key  that  will  unlock 
the  problem,  viz.,  that  of  getting  drones  from  a  normal  colony,  that 
is  working  undisturbed  in  the  open  air,  to  fly  itiizi'orn'cd  in  an  en- 
closure. 

Although  this  account  of  Mr.  Davitte's  success  was  published 
some  three  or  four  years  ago,  I  believe  there  has  been  nothing  like 
it  attempted  since.  The  queen  breeder  who  will  build  such  a  tent, 
and  succeed  with  it  as  Mr.  Davitte  says  that  he  succeeded,  will  cer- 
tainly have  one  of  the  biggest  advertisements  that  could  possibly  be 
secured.  This  is  a  matter  that  I  should  be  glad  to  see  some  of  the 
experiment  stations  take  up. 

Right  in  this  line,  it  might  be  mentioned  that  Mr.  L.  A.  Aspin- 
wall,  of  Jackson,  Michigan,  reports  success  in  clipping  about  ';-iof 
an  inch  from  the  ends  of  the  wings  of  a  queen.  While  this  does  not 
prevent  her  flying,  it  so  weakens  her  flight  that  she  is  not  likely  to 
go  far  from  the  apiary  before  being  overtaken  by  an  admirer.  If 
only  drones  of  a  desirable  character  are  allowed  to  fly  in  the  home- 
yard,  the  chances  are  that  the  majority  of  queens  will  be  well-mated. 
Mr.  John  M.  Rankin,  when  at  the  Michigan  Agricultural  College, 
tried  this  same  experiment,  but,  with  him,  only  a  small  per  cent,  of 
the  queens  thus  clipped  ever  became  fertile.  Perhaps  he  clipped 
them  too  much. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


163 


Here  is  an  idea,  however,  that  is  thoroughly  practical,  one  that 
can  be  put  in  practice  by  any  bee-keeper:  By  the  use  of  full  sheets 
of  comb  foundation,  or  otherwise,  keep  the  brood  nests  practically 
free  from  drone  comb;  then,  in  two  or  three,  or  half  a  dozen  colonies 
(the  number  depending-  upon  the  size  of  the  apiary )  having  very 
choice  queens,  allow  an  abundance  of  drone  comb.  The  result  will 
be  that  the  air  will  be  filled  with  drones  from  choice  stock,  and  the 
majority  of  the  queens  will  mate  with  these  drones. 


164  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Tlie  P^emcderliitf  ©f  Bees^^a^c 


N  nearly  every  apiary  there  are  more  or  less  odds  and  ends  of 
combs  which  are  well-worth  saving-  to  be  made  into  wax.  When 
an  apiary  is  run  for  extracted  honey  the  wax  from  the  capping-s 
is  no  small  part  of  the  income.  If  there  are  many  combs  to  be 
rendered,  as  is  often  the  case  when  foul  brood  gets  into  an  apiary, 
the  manner  of  doing-  the  work  becomes  an  important  question.  The 
small  bee-keeper  who  has  only  a  few  scraps  to  melt  up,  may  resort 
to  almost  any  make-shift;  and,  by  the  way,  here  is  one  such  primi- 
tive plan:  Take  an  old  dripping-  pan,  or  any  large,  flat,  metal  dish 
that  is  of  little  value,  and  punch  a  hole  in  one  corner.  Set  the  dish 
in  an  ordinary  stove  oven,  letting  the  end  with  the  hole  in  it  project 
from  the  oven.  Put  the  scraps  of  comb  into  the  pan,  where  they 
will  melt,  and  the  wax  will  run  out  of  the  hole,  where  it  may  be 
caught  in  a  dish  set  upon  the  floor.  If  the  scraps  are  of  nearly  pure 
wax,  like  cappingfs,  or  new  comb,  this  plan  will  answer  (juite  well  for 
rendering-  wax  upon  a  small  scale;  but,  if  the  combs  are  old,  the 
cocoons  will  absorb  so  much  of  the  w^ax  that  a  large  portion  will  thus 
be  lost.  A  plan  that  will  secure  a  larg-er  percentage  of  wax  from 
old  combs,  but  requiring  some  more  labor  to  put  into  operation,  is 
that  of  crowding- the  combs  into  a  sack  made  of  cheese  cloth  or  bur- 
lap, tying-  up  the  mouth  of  the  sack,  and  immersing  it  in  a  boiler  of 
water  set  upon  a  stove,  and  then  bringing  it  to  the  boiling:  point. 
While  the  water  and  the  sack  and  its  contents  are  still  hot,  the  sack- 
should  be  thoroughly  turned  and  pressed  with  something-  like  a 
g-arden  hoe,  thus  stirring  up  the  contents  and  pressing  out  the  wax. 
The  water  will  largel}'  take  the  place  of  the  wax,  which,  being  lighter 
than  the  water,  will    rise    to  the  top,  where  it    may  be    taken  off   in  a 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


165 


solid  cake  after  it  has  cooled.  A  weight  of  some  kind,  like  a  big 
stone,  or  some  bricks,  must  be  laid  upon  the  sack  to  hold  it  at  the 
bottom  of  the  boiler  while  the  wax  is  cooling,  otherwise  the  sack 
will  be  embedded  in  the  wax  when  it  is  cooled.  This  plan  ma3^  be 
employed  upon  a  large  scale,  even  to  the  extent  of  using  a  large 
kettle  out  of  doors,  and  the  use  of  the  sacks  may  be  dispensed 
with  by  making  a  sort  of  pail  or  basket  out  of  fine  wire  cloth,  setting 
it  down  in  the  melted  wax,  inside  the  kettle,  and  then  dipping  off 
the  wax  with  a  dipper,  by  dipping  inside  the  wire  cloth  basket,  the 
wire  cloth  straining  out  the  coarser  impurities.  This  method  of 
rendering  wax  b^-  the  use  of  boiling  water  will  probably  get  out  as 
much  of  the  wax  as  it  is  possible  to  secure  without  the  use  of  pres- 
sure  upon   the   residue,  or  "slum  gum,"  as  it  is   called.     Old  combs 


The  Alpaugh,  Solar  Wax  Extractor. 


are  largely  made  up  of  cocoons — more  cocoons  than  wax — and  they 
absorb  and  retain  the  melted  wax,  much  as  a  sponge  will  hold 
water,  and  pressure  is  the  only  thing  that  will  cause  them  to  give  up 
the  golden  treasure. 

Another  plan  particularlj'  feasible  for  melting  cappings,  new 
combs,  or  scraps  that  are  nearly  pure  wax,  is  by  the  use  of  the  solar 
wax  extractor,  which  is  simply  a  shallow  box  painted  black  inside 
and  out,  and  furnished  with  a  false  bottom  of  sheet  iron  a  few  inches 
above  the  real  bottom,  a  cover  of  glass  completing  the  arrangement. 
The  box  is  placed  in  a  slanting  position,  facing  the  sun,  and  the 
refuse  combs,  etc.,  placed  upon  the  false  bottom  of  iron,  or  in  a  sort 
of  basket  arranged  at  the  upper  end  for  the  reception  of  the  cappings, 
scraps,  etc.     The  direct    rays  of    the  sun,  aided,  sonietimes,  by   the 


166  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

reflected  rays  from  the  cover,  to  which  is  fastened  a  sheet  of  brijjfht 
tin,  melt  the  wax,  and  it  runs  down  to  the  lower  end  of  the  metal 
shute  where  it  drops  off  into  a  vessel  set  there  to  catch  it.  A  small 
solar  wax  extractor  standing:  in  an  apiary  is  an  excellent  thing-,  as 
into  it  may  be  thrown  all  scraps  of  comb  that  would  otherwise  be 
thrown  away,  or  perhaps  be  thrown  into  a  box  or  barrel  to  stand 
around  until  destroyed  by  the  bee  moth's  larvae. 

All  of  these  plans  of  rendering  wax  fall  short  of  perfection,  how- 
ever, as  too  much  wax  is  left  in  the  residue.  Pressure  of  some  sort 
must  be  used,  or  a  larofe  part  of  the  wax  is  lost.  For  making:  small, 
or  ordinary  quantities  of  wax,  what  is  called  the  German  wax  press 
answers  the  purpose  quite  well.  This  is  a  tall  can  made  of  heavy 
sheet-metal,  with  a  false  bottom  securely  fastened  to  the  sides  a  few 
inches  above  the  real  bottom  of  the  can,  together  with  a  screw  and 
follower  above  to  bring  pressure  to  bear  upon  the  mass  of  combs 
after  the  wax  has  been  thoroughly  melted  by  the  steam  that  arises 
from  the  water  that  has  been  placed  below,  previous  to  setting  the 
can  upon  a  stove.  For  holding  the  combs,  a  wire  cloth  basket  is 
used  and  a  piece  of  cheese  cloth  is  placed  inside  the  basket  before 
putting  in  the  combs.  The  melted  wax  drips  down  upon  a  false 
bottom  and  runs  out  through  a  spout  that  passes  out  through  the 
side  of  the  can.  The  use  of  pressure  while  the  slum  gum  is  still 
surrounded  by  live  steam  secures  nearh^  all  of  the  wax;  and  the 
greatest  objection  to  the  use  of  the  German  press  is  its  limited  capac- 
ity— it  is  too  slow  a  process  if  much  work  is  to  be  done. 

Extracting   the  melted   wax    from   the  slum     gum    by   means  of 
centrifugal  force,  the  same   as  syruj)  is  thrown   from  the   sugar  in  a 
sugar  retiner3%  or  water  from    clothes  when    dried  in  a  laundry,  has 
been  tried  enough  to  enable  us   to  say  that  something  may  be  hoped 
for  in  this  direction. 

For  making  large  quantities  of  wax,  probably  the  most  practical 
plan  is  that  of  melting  up  the  cappings  or  combs  in  a  boiler  or  large 
kettle,  dipping  off  the  wax  from  the  top,  and  putting  the  slum  gum 
through  a  powerful  press.  It  is  difficult  to  say  exactly  who  first 
utilized  screw-power  for  pressing  the  wax  out  of  slum  gum,  but  I 
think  C.  A.  Hatch,  of  Richland  Center,  Wisconsin,  was  the  first  to 
bring  the  matter  prominently  before  the  public.  He  was  followed 
by  Mr.  F.  A.  Gemmill,  of  London,  Ontario,  Canada.  One  form  of 
press  is,  I  believe,  now  called  the  Hatch-Gemmill  press.  Of  course, 
such  presses  may  vary  in  detail,  and  I  think  the  best  form  that  I  have 
ever  seen  was  illustrated  and  described  in  the  Bee-Keepers'  Review 
by  Mr.  E.  D.  Townsend.  Here  is  his  description  of  the  press  and 
w  he  woul  d    use  it. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


167 


The  Hatch-Geminill-Townsend  Wax  Press. 


i68  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

"Procure  two  pieces  of  tough  oak  3x4  inches,  b}-  24  inches  long:. 
(See  Fig.  1. )  Twent}'  inches  from  center  to  center,  at  equal  dis- 
tances from  each  end,  bore  ?4^-inch  holes  throuofh  the  3-inch  wa^'  of 
both  pieces.  These  holes  are  for  the  H  rods  to  pass  throujjfh  to  form 
the  main  uprights.  Then  in  the  center  of  one  wooden  piece,  parallel 
with  the  other  holes,  bore  a  I's-inch  hole.  This  is  for  the  bench- 
screw  to  work  through.  From  a  ?/+-inch  iron  rod,  have  a  blacksmith 
cut  two  pieces  20  inches  long,  and  one  30  inches  long.  The  two,  20- 
inch  pieces  are  to  have  threads  cut  for  a  distance  of  S'l?  inches  on 
both  ends;  and  each  piece  is  to  be  furnished  with  four  burrs  and  four 
washers.  To  assemble  the  machine,  turn  a  burr  clear  on  at  each 
end  of  each  rod.  Next  put  on  a  washer,  on  each  end,  and  slip  the 
ends  of  the  rods  through  the  holes  in  the  ends  of  the  wooden  pieces; 
then  put  a  washer  on  over  the  projecting  end  of  each  rod.  over 
this  a  burr,  and  adjust  the  parallel,  3  x4  pieces  a  scant  13  inches 
apart. 

When  the  's-inch  bottom,  or  table,  is  on,  there  will  be  12  inches 
space,  in  the  clear,  between  the  top  of  the  press-table,  and  the  under 
side  of  No.  1.  The  screw  is  the  same  as  a  carpenter  uses  in  his 
work-bench  vise.  Mine  is  16  inches  in  length,  and  1  1-16  in  diameter. 
The  burr  for  the  screw  to  work  in  is  let  into  the  under  side  of  No.  1, 
and  held  in  i)lace  by  a  3  x  12-inch  steel  plate,  )4^ -inch  thick,  with  a 
1  1-16-inch  hole  in  the  center  for  the  screw  to  work  through.  Refer- 
ence to  the  accompanying  engraving  will  show  the  bolts  that  hold 
this  plate  in  position.  Instead  of  having  round  holes  in  the  ends  of 
the  plate,  for  the  bolts  to  pass  through,  they  are  made  in  the  form 
of  slots  that  extend  crosswise  of  the  plates.  There  should  also  be 
another  plate  on  top,  only  the  slots  in  the  ends  ought  to  extend  the 
other  way— lengthwise.  This  arrangement  allows  of  any  adjust- 
ment of  the  screw  so  that  it  will  stand  perpendicularly.  The  strain 
here  is  something  enormous,  and  everything  must  be  made  solid. 

The  frame  can  be  made  to  suit  one's  fancy;  mine  is  of  2  x  4,  well- 
braced,  24  inches  high,  the  top  24x26  inches,  the  long  way  parallel 
with  the  3x4  piece.  Don't  forget  to  brace  it  wi'Il  with  a  '-.  rod  from 
the  table  to  No.  1.     (See  cut.) 

The  30-inch,  3/4-inch  rod  is  for  a  lever  for  turning  the  screw. 
The  lever  that  comes  with  the  screw  is  not  sufficient. 

No.  5  is  a  pan  of  galvanized  iron,  five  inches  deep,  and  18  inches 
square,  with  one  side  left  open  and  formed  into  a  spout  to  carry  off 
the  wax. 

There  are  two  racks  (No.  2),  each  16  inches  s(iuare,  made  of 
one-inch,  scjuare  pieces  of  pine,  spaced  -;«  of  an  inch  apart,  and 
cleated  at  each  end. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  169 

The  follower  (No.  3)  is  of  the  same  size,  and  is  made  of  two 
thicknesses  of  '^-inch  boards,  with  the  grain  running  in  opposite 
directions.  In  the  center  of  the  follower,  on  top,  is  a  3  x  5-inch  steel 
l^late,  with  an  indentation  in  the  top  for  the  screw  to  work  in.  Two 
screws  fasten  this  plate  to  the  follower. 

The  form  (No.  4)  is  15  inches  square,  and  live  inches  deep. 

In  the  rendering-  of  wax.  there  is  an  excellent  reason,  which  will 
1)6  given  later,  for  rendering  the  cappings  separately'  from  the  old 
combs.  Atpresent  I  will  describe  the  work  of  rendering  the  cappings 
separately'  from  the  old  combs.  Put  a  pail  of  clean,  soft  water  into 
a  No.  9  wash  boiler,  and  set  it  over  a  slow  tire.  Fill  the  boiler  full  of 
cappings;  and,  as  the5'  melt  down,  add  more,  until  the  boiler  is  as  full 
as  it  can  be  handled  convenienth^ — say,  within  two  inches  of  the  top. 
If  the  cappings  are  broken  up  tine  thej^  will  melt  much  quicker.  My 
cappings  are  all  stored  in  cracker  or  sugar  barrels.  I  throw  a  bar- 
rel into  a  box  that  will  hold  five  or  six  bushels,  take  an  old  axe  and 
cut  off  the  hoops  and  remove  the  staves,  then  chop  up  the  cappings 
with  a  spade. 

We  will  suppose  that  you  have  a  boiler  of  wax  on  the  stove.  See 
to  it  that  the  fire  is  not  too  hot.  If  you  /mz'C  a  hot  fire,  leave  the 
griddles  on  the  stove  under  the  boiler.  Keep  the  lumps  broken  up 
with  a  long  paddle — a  barrel  stave  will  answer — and  keep  constantly 
in  mind  that  the  wax  should  never  he  allozvcd  to  boil.  Just  as  soon  as 
the  last  chunk  is  melted,  slide  the  boiler  off  the  stove,  upon  a  barrel 
or  box  arranged  the  same  height  as  the  stove.  The  wax  is  now 
ready  for  the  press.  See  that  the  press-screw  is  clear  up  out  of  the 
way,  and  the  galvanized  iron  pan  (with  the  spout  end)  is  in  place. 
Next  put  in  one  of  the  slated  frames,  then  the  form,  over  which  spread 
a  30-inch,  square  piece  of  burlap  of  the  thin,  open  kind.  Press 
the  burlap  down  into  the  form,  set  a  galvanized  iron  washtub  under 
the  spout  (you  will  need  three  or  four  of  these  tubs)  then,  with  a 
large  dipper,  having  a  long  handle,  dip  the  wax  from  the  boiler  to  the 
press.  By  the  way,  it  is  not  necessary  to  put  all  of  the  melted  wax 
through  the  press.  With  a  little  care  all  of  the  slum  gum  can  be 
dipped  off  the  top,  leaving  quite  a  quantity  of  wax,  water  and  honey 
that  can  be  emptied  directly  into  the  tub.  When  the  form  has  been 
filled,  take  hold  of  the  two  opposite  sides  of  the  burlap,  and  move  it 
up  and  down;  then  do  the  same  with  the  two  other  sides.  This 
works  most  of  the  water  and  wax  through  the  burlap,  out  of  the  way, 
so  that  we  can  handle  the  slum  gum  to  better  advantage. 

We  will  suppose  that  nearly  all  of  the  wax  is  out  that  will  come 
out  without  pressure;  take  hold  of  the  burlap  on  two  opposite  sides, 
bring  them  together   with  a  good  lap,  and  pin  with  a  ten    penny  nail; 


170  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

then  handle  the  two  remaining-  sides  in  the  same  manner.  Next 
remove  the  form,  and  put  another  rack  on  the  top,  the  same  as  was 
used  underneath.  Now  put  on  the  follower  and  add  the  screw- 
pressure.  When  the  wax  stops  running,  loosen  up  the  screw,  give 
the  cheese  a  half  turn,  and  add  more  pressure.  If  you  have  done  a 
g^ood  job  there  will  not  be  a.  p(ir//r/f  oi  wax  left  in  the  slum  g"um. 
One  pressure  is  all  that  is  necessary  for  a  boiler  full  of  cappings;  but 
with  old  combs  four  or  five  times  may  be  required.  Always  keep  in 
mind  that  the  less  slum  gum  put  into  the  press  the  more  perfectly 
can  it  be  freed  from  wax. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  the  honey  and  wax  have  never  been 
broug^ht  to  the  boiling  point,  hence  the  honey  has  not  been  injured 
for  the  making-  of  vinegar;  and  after  the  wax  has  cooled  and  been 
taken  off  in  a  cake,  the  honey  and  water  may  be  emptied  into  an 
open-end  barrel.  After  it  has  stood  over  nig^ht,  or  until  the  sediment 
has  settled,  skim,  and  dip  off  the  top,  and  the  sweetened  water  thus 
secured  is  as  g-ood  material  for  making  vinegar  as  it  is  possible  to 
secure;  while  every  ounce  of  wax  has  been  removed  from  the  cap- 
pings. The  sweetened  water  thus  secured  is  /oo  sweet  for  the  mak- 
ing- of  vinegfar,  but  more  soft  water  may  be  added  and  the  vinegar 
made  in  the  usual  way.  This  is  why  we  do  not  render  old,  black, 
brood  combs  at  the  same  time  that  we  melt  uj)  the  capping-s. 

The  same  boiler  is  used  for  clarifying  the  wax.  After  a  little 
cleaning- around  the  upper  edg-e,  put  in  a  ]iail  of  water,  then  fill  with 
the  wax  as  it  comes  from  the  i)ress,  only  be  i)articu]ar  to  clioj)  it  up 
fine.  An}'  chunks  larg^er  than  two  inches  in  dianieter  should  be 
chopped  up  with  the  axe,  as  we  wish  to  melt  it  with  the  /(•</>/  /^ o. <>//>/<• 
Ileal.  As  in  the  first  meltiiig,  the  chunlxs  are  Kei)t  I)roKen  apart  with 
a  paddle.  (live  a  little  more  time  for  the  wax  to  melt  rather  than 
have  it  boil;  and  just  the  moment  that  it  is  all  melted,  slide  it  oif  the 
stove  the  same  as  before,  cover  up  with  two  or  three  thicknesses  of 
blankets,  andlet  it  stand  until  there  are  signs  of  its  caking  around  the 
edges.  Usually,  four  or  five  hours  are  enough  time  for  thi-  iini)ur'- 
ties  to  settle  to  the  bottom,  After  skimming  the  wax,  it  is  ready  to 
dip  off  and  cake.  Clean  your  long  handled  dipper,  and  with  it  dip 
off  the  wax  into  llaring-toi),  tin  pails.  Don't  make  the  mistake  of 
l)utting  any  water  into  the  i)ails.  ^Phere  is  a  little  knack  aI)out  dip- 
ping out  the  wax  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  disturb  the  sediment  any 
more  than  is  possible.  Don't  think  of  dipping  right  in,  just  as 
thoug-h  you  were  dipping  water,  but  drop  the  side  of  the  dipper  into 
the  wax,  say,  three-fourths  of  an  inch,  then  carefully  sink  the  holtoni 
of  the  dipper  down  into  the  wax,  always  keeping  the  lop  edg-e  near 
the  surface  of  the  wax.     By  dipping  in  this  manner,  it  is   surprising^ 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


171 


to  see  how  close  one  can  dip  to  the  sediment  without  disturbing'  it. 
Stop  dipping-  as  soon  as  sigfns  of  sediment  appear  in  the  dipper,  and 
what  is  left  in  the  boiler  can  g-o  into  the  next  melting.  Let  me  re- 
peat: If  you  wish  for  nice,  soft,  pliable  wax,  that  is  so  much  in 
demand  in  the  markets,  doii^t  ever  allo-w  yoi(r  zvax  to  boil\n  anj-  pro- 
cess of  rendering." 

For  cleaning;  an^-  utensils  that  are  daubed  up  with  wax,  use  a 
cloth  saturated  with  benzine.  Benzine  will  dissolve  wax  much  as 
water  will  dissolve  sugar. 

For  some  mysterious  reason,  sulphuric  acid  will  cleanse  or 
clarify  beeswax  that  is  brown,  or  black,  or  almost  any  color,  bring-- 
ing-  it  back  to  a  nice,  bright  yellow.  The  bee-keeper  who  renders 
his  wax  according  to  the  methods  here  described,  will  probably  have 
no  need  for  using  acids,  but  those  who  bu}-  wax  for  making-  into 
foundation  lind  the  use  of  the  acid  almost  indispensible.  A  kettle  or 
some  other  vessel,  is  tilled  perhaps  one-third  full  of  water,  and  then 
filled  up  with  cakes  of  wax.  By  the  use  of  steam,  or  b}-  setting  the 
vessel  on  a  stove,  the  wax  is  melted,  when  acid  is  added  at  the  rate 
of  about  one  pint  of  acid  to  12  g-allons  of  water.  Soon  after  the  acid 
is  poured  in.  the  wax  will  be  seen  to  change  to  a  ligfhter  hue.  when 
the  heat  may  be  stopped,  and  the  sediment  allowed  to  settle,  after 
which  the  pure  wax  can  be  dipped  of  the  top.  If  a  metal  vessel  is 
used,  it  must  be  thoroughly  washed  after  use,  and  it  would  be  well 
to  rub  it  over  with  grease  to  prevent  any  further  action  of  the  acid. 


172  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Tlhie  IR.eIsitl©im  ©f  IF©©dl  to  ttlhi© 


N  the  Southern  States,  and  other  phices  not  blessed  with  a  stern 
winter,  where  bees  can  enjo^^  fre(|uent  fli^fhts,  it  matters  little 
what  the  food  is,  so  lonjj  as  it  is  not  actuall^^  poisonous.  By 
this  is  meant  that  an}^  kind  of  sweet  like  sug-ar,  honey,  or  even 
honey  dew,  will  answer  as  food.  In  these  mild  climates,  little  or  no 
protection  is  needed;  but,  as  hijjher  latitudes  are  reached,  chaff- 
packed  hives,  or  their  equivalent,  are  needed,  and  there  must  be  some 
care  exercised  in  regfard  to  food.  As  we  journey  still  further  from 
the  eciuator,  it  is  only  cellars  and  the  best  of  food  that  brinj^-  forth 
uniform  results. 

It  has  been  asserted  that  honey  is  the  "natural"  food  of  bees, 
and  that  nothing-  can  be  gained  by  substituting  something  else.  It 
must  be  remembered  that  the  "natural"  home  of  the  bee  is  that  of  a 
warm  climate,  where  there  are  no  long  spells  of  confinement  caused 
by  continued  cold.  Hone^'  is,  of  course,  the  "natural"  food  of  bees, 
but  this  fact  does  not  prevent  their  dying  sometimes  as  the  result 
of  its  consumption,  when  a  diet  of  cane  sugar  would  have  saved  their 
lives. 

In  mj'  opinion,  food  is  the  pivotal  point  upon  which  turns  the 
wintering  of  bees  in  our  Northern  States.  Food  is  the  fulcrum,  and 
temperature  the  long  end  of  the  lever.  The  whole  (juestion  in  a  nut 
shell  is  just  this:  The  loss  of  bees  in  winter,  aside  from  that  caused 
by  diarrhea,  is  not  worth  mentioning.  It  is  diarrJica  that  kills  our 
bees.  What  causes  it?  An  overloading  of  the  intestines,  with  no 
opportunity  of  emptying  them.  Cold  confines  the  bees  to  their  hives. 
The  greater  the  cold  the  larger  are  the  quantities  of  food  consumed 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  173 

to  keep  up  the  animal  heat.  The  more  food  there  is  consumed,  the 
sooner  are  the  intestines  overloaded.  A  moment's  reflection  will 
make  it  clear  that  the  character  of  the  food  consumed  has  an  effect 
upon  the  accumulation  in  the  intestines.  In  the  dig-estion  of  cane 
sug-ar  there  is  scarcely  any  residue.  Honey  is  usually  quite  free 
from  nitrogenous  matter,  being  well  supplied  with  oxygen,  and, 
when  practically  free  from  floating  grains  of  pollen,  is  generally  a 
very  good  and  safe  winter-food;  although  not  as  good  as  properly 
prepared  sugar  sja-up,  which  never  contains  nitrogen,  but  possesses 
more  oxj^gen.  The  excreta  from  diarrhetic  bees  is  almost  wholly 
pollen  grains,  in  a  dig-ested  or  partly  digested  state,  with  a  slight 
mixture  of  organic  matter.  What  overloads  the  intestines  of  the 
bees  is  this  nitrogenous  matter  which  they  consume,  either  as 
grains  of  pollen  floating  in  the  honey,  or  by  eating  the  bee  bread 
itself. 

Repeated  experiments  have  proved  beyond  a  doubt  that,  as  a 
winter  food  for  bees,  cane  sugar  has  no  superior.  With  this  as  an 
exclusive  diet,  bees  never  die  with  the  dysentery;  and,  if  kept  in  a 
temperature  ranging  from  35  to  42  degrees,  they  are  all  but  certain 
to  winter  successfully.  This  being  the  case,  the  question  naturally 
follows,  why  not  take  away  the  hone^^  in  the  fall,  and  feed  the  bees 
sugar?  One  objection  to  the  use  of  sugar,  as  a  winter  food,  is  that 
every  pound  of  sugar  so  used  puts  one  more  pound  of  honey  on  the 
market.  Another  objection  is  that  the  bee-keeper  is  thereby  com- 
pelled to  pa}^  out  money  for  sugar,  while  he  may  have  on  hand  a  crop 
of  honey  that  is  meeting  with  slow  sale.  Some  object  to  its  use  on 
the  ground  that  it  lends  color  to  the  cry  of  "adulteration."  Per- 
haps the  greatest  objection  is  the  labor  of  extracting  the  honey  and 
feeding'  the  sugar. 

Let's  consider  these  objections.  The  use  of  sugar  as  a  winter 
food  for  bees  unquestionabl}^  does  put  a  little  more  honey  on  the 
market,  but  this  ought  not  to  weigh  so  very  heavily  against  the  cer- 
tainty' of  wintering  the  bees.  Neither  need  there  be  any  labor  of  ex- 
tracting the  honey  in  the  fall,  if  the  summer  management  has  been 
conducted  with  a  view  to  feeding  sugar  in  the  fall.  By  contraction 
of  the  brood  nest  nearly  all  of  the  honey  may  be  forced  into  the 
supers,  leaving  the  brood  combs  nearly  empty  at  the  end  of  the 
season.  It  only  remains  to  feed  the  bees,  and,  with  proper  feeders 
(the  Heddon,  for  instance),  tin  cans,  and  oil  stoves  for  making  the 
syrup,  feeding  is  neither  a  long  nor  a  tedious  task.  What  little 
honey  remains  in  the  corners  of  the  combs  is  not  likely  to  be  con- 
sumed until  spring,  when  frequent  flights  will  prevent  all  troubles 
that  might   arise  from  its   consumption.     In    regard  to   causing   the 


174  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

public  to  believe  that  by  some  hocus  pocus  the  sugar  that  is  fed  gets 
into  the  surplus,  no  one  need  know  of  the  feedinjjf,  except  it  mij^ht  be 
in  some  cases,  an  immediate  neighbor,  and  the  bee-keeper  ought  to 
enjoy  his  neighbor's  conlidence  to  that  degree  that  the  exact  truth 
can  be  told  him,  and  it  will  be  believed.  As  in  regard  to  the  in- 
creased amount  of  honey  that  the  use  of  sugar  as  winter  stores  puts 
upon  the  market,  so  any  possible  talk  about  adulteration  is  over- 
balanced b}'  the  certainty  of  carrying  the  bees  through  the 
winter. 

If  the  feeding  is  done  early  enough  so  that  the  bees  will  have 
time  to  work  the  honey  over  and  ripen  it,  no  heat  will  be  needed  in 
making  the  syrup;  simply  stir  into  cold  water  all  of  the  sugar  that  it 
will  dissolve,  feed  it  to  the  bees,  and  they  will  reduce  it  to  the  proper 
consistency;  and,  by  the  addition  of  their  secretions,  change  the  cane 
sugar  into  grape  sugar,  thus  practically  making  it  into  honey.  If 
fed  too  late  something  may  be  necessary  to  prevent  the  granulation 
of  the  syrup.  For  this  purpose  I  never  found  anything  better  than 
honey — from  10  to  20  per  cent,  is  sufficient.  September  is  early 
enough  to  feed;  but,  when  feeding  has  been  neglected  until  it  is  so 
late  and  the  weather  so  cool  that  the  bees  will  not  leave  the  cluster 
and  go  into  the  feeder,  it  may  be  managed,  as  explained  in  the 
chapter  on  feeding,  by  filling  the  feeder  with  hot  syrup  and  placing 
it  under  the  hive.  The  heat  from  the  syrup  will  warm  up  and 
arouse  the  bees,  when  they  will  come  down  and  carry  up  the 
feed. 

But  all  can  not,  or  may  not  wish  to,  use  sugar  for  winter  stores, 
and  many  do  not  ticcd  to  use  sugar  to  insure  the  successful  winter- 
ing of  their  bees.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  localities  regarding 
the  character  of  the  honey.  Where  one  has  successfully  i)ursued 
the  same  course  year  after  year,  it  is  doubtful  if  a  change  would  be 
desirable;  but  what  shall  the  man  do  who  loses  heavily  nearly  every 
winter,  yet  can  not,  or  will  not  use  sugar?  Possibly  he  can  so 
manage  that  his  winter  stores  are  secured  from  a  different  source. 
Mr.  O.  O.  Poppleton  takes  the  ground  that  the  best  winter  stores 
come  from  the  most  bountiful  yields.  It  is  possible  that  there  is 
something  in  this,  bountiful  j-ields  of  any  crop  are  usually  of  fine 
quality,  but  I  know  of  at  least  one  locality  where  the  fall  flow  of  honey 
is  always  the  most  abundant,  and  I  might  almost  say  ahvays  abun- 
dant, yet  so  surely  will  it  kill  bees  that  the  most  extensive  bee-keeper 
in  that  locality,  after  an  experience  of  many  years,  kills  his  bees  in 
the  fall  rather  than  attempt  to  winter  them  on  this  honey  by  luiy 
method. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


175 


But  bee-keepers  can  do  this:  Notice  if  any  particular  kind 
of  honej^  is  more  likely  to  cause  trouble,  and  then  avoid  its  use  as 
winter  stores.  Part  of  the  bees  may  be  protected  upon  the  summer 
stands,  and  part  put  into  the  cellar.  In  a  warm,  open  winter,  the 
bees  out  of  doors  will  stand  the  better  chance;  in  a  severe  winter  the 
odds  will  be  in  favor  of  the  cellar — and  their  owner  must  take  his 
chances. 


176  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


OuEt°D©oir  WlEi^eiriinirf  of  Bees« 


V  bees  can  enjoy  frequent  flig-hts,  out  of  doors  is  the  place  to 
winter  them.  If  deprived  of  these  flights,  a  temperature  of 
about  45  degrees  enables  them  to  bear  a  much  longer  confine- 
ment than  does  a  temperature  below  freezing.  In  the  South, 
fre(|uent  flights  are  assured;  in  the  North,  no  dependence  can  be 
placed  upon  the  matter.  Some  winters  are  "open,"  or  there  are 
January  thaws,  allowing  the  bees  to  enjo}^  cleansing  flights,  while 
other  winters  hold  them  close  prisoners  for  four  or  five  months.  It 
is  this  element  of  uncertainty  attending  the  wintering  of  bees  in  the 
open  air  that  has  driven  so  many  bee-keepers  to  the  adoption  ot"  cel- 
lar wintering.  Still,  there  are  some  bee-keepers  who,  from  some 
peculiarity  of  location  or  management,  arc  able  to  winter  their  bees 
in  the  open  air  with  (luite  uniform  success;  others  are  co)upcllcd,  for 
the  present,  at  least,  to  winter  the  bees  out  of  doors;  in  short,  a 
large  portion  of  the  bees,  even  in  the  North,  are  wintered  in  the  open 
air,  and  probably'  will  be  for  a  long  time  to  come;  and,  while  my  pref- 
erence is  the  cellar,  there  is  much  to  be  said  in  favor  of  out-door 
wintering.  Let  me  give  one  or  two  instances  of  success:  Ira  I). 
Bartlett,  of  East  Jordan,  Michigan,  which  is  away  in  the  northern 
portion  of  the  lower  peninsula,  began  keeping  bees  when  only  14 
years  of  age  l)egan  with  only  one  colony  and  when  21  years  of  age 
he  had  150  colonies,  and  had  never  lost  a  colony  wintering  them  out 
of  doors.  His  method  of  protection  was  very  thorough.  He  packed 
four  colonies  in  one  box,  putting  packing  not  only  at  the  sides,  and 
on  top,  but  also  bchnv  the  hives.  The  packing  was  fine,  dry  saw- 
dust, and  the  roof  to  the  box  had  eaves  that  extended  over  like  the 
eaves  of   a  railroad  station,  which  allowed    the  roof  to  be    raised  up  a 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


177 


o 


H 


178  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

short  distance  above  the  box,  for  ventilation;  5'et  the  snow  would  not 
g-et  in  to  any  g-reat  extent.  There  was  a  sort  of  vestibule  in  front  of 
the  entrances,  and  this  vestibule  was  kept  closed  b\-  means  of  a 
board;  it  being-  removed  onl}-  when  there  came  a  day  warm  enough 
for  the  bees  to  fiv — something  that  rareh-  occurred  in  the  winter. 
So  warm  and  comfortable  were  the  bees  when  so  snugly  housed  that 
they  even  brought  the  dead  bees  out  and  dropped  them  in  the  vesti- 
bule. I  suspect  that  the  thorough  protection,  combined  with  the 
perfect  ventilation,  allowing  no  accumulation  of  moisture,  is  the 
secret  of  this  wonderful  success. 

Another  instance  was  that  of  two  ladies  who  began  bee-keeping 
in  Northern  Michigan  before  the  iron  horse  had  invaded  that  region, 
and  who  were  uniformly  successful,  for  a  long  series  of  years,  in 
wintering  their  bees  out  of  doors,  packed  in  chaff.  Like  Mr.  Bartlett, 
the}-  furnished  abundant  upward  ventilation,  above  the  packing. 
An  opening  a  foot  square  was  cut  in  the  top  of  the  box  containing 
chaff  that  was  placed  over  the  colony,  and  this  opening  was  covered 
with  wire  cloth  to  keep  out  mice;  and  then,  over  all,  to  keep  out  the 
storms,  was  a  large  roof.  So  successful  were  these  ladies,  that,  from 
first  to  last,  I  have  paid  them  nearh-  SI, 000  for  bees. 

It  does  not  seem  as  though  the  question  of  w^hether  bees  should 
be  protected,  here  in  the  North,  need  receive  an}-  consideration 
whatever,  yet  it  has  been  objected  to  on  the  grounds  that  the  pack- 
ing becomes  damp,  that  it  deprives  the  bees  of  the  warmth  of  the 
sun,  and  that  the}-  sometimes  fail  to  fiy  in  the  winter,  because  the 
outside  warmth  is  so  slow  in  reaching  them,  when  bees  in  single- 
wall  hives  may  be  in  full  flight.  There  is  occasionally  a  still,  mild 
da}-  in  winter,  upon  which  the  sun  shines  out  bright  and  strong  for 
an  hour  or  two,  and  bees  in  single-wall  hives  enjoy  a  real  cleansing 
flight,  w-hile  the  momentary  rise  in  the  temperature  passes  away  ere 
it  has  penetrated  the  thick  walls  of  a  chaff  hive.  On  the  other  hand, 
there  are  days  and  weeks,  and  sometimes  months,  unbroken  by 
these  rises  in  temperature;  and  the  bees  must  depend  for  their  ex- 
istence upon  the  heat  generated  by  themselves;  and  the  more  perfect 
the  non-conductor  by  which  they  are  surrounded,  the  less  will  be  the 
loss  of  heat.  When  bees  are  well  protected,  there  is  less  necessity 
for  flight  than  when  the  protection  is  slight.  If  a  bee-keeper  thinks, 
however,  that  bees  in  a  chaff  hive  ought  to  fly  on  a  warm  day,  and 
they  dont  fly,  he  has  only  to  remove  the  covering  over  the  bees,  and 
allow  them  to  fly  from  the  top  of  the  hive. 

For  several  winters  I  left  a  few  colonies  unprotected;  and  I  dis- 
continued the  practice  only  when  thoroughly  convinced  that,  in  this 
locality,  the   losses  were   lessened   by    protection.     In  mild    winters 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  179 

the  bees  came  throug-h  in  prett\-  fair  condition.  In  severe  winters 
the  bees  in  the  outside  spaces,  or  ranges  of  combs,  died  first;  the 
cluster  became  smaller:  the  bees  in  more  ranges  died:  and.  b}-  spring, 
all  were  dead,  or  the  colony  so  reduced  in  numbers,  and  the  surviv- 
ors so  lacking-  in  vitalit}-.  as  to  be  practically  worthless. 

I  have  never  seen  any  ill  effects  from  dampness,  but  I  have 
always  given  abundant  ventilation  above  the  packing.  When  the 
warm  air  from  the  cluster  passes  up  through  the  packing,  and  is 
met  bj'  the  cold,  outer  air,  some  condensation  of  moisture  takes 
place.  This  moistens  the  surface  of  the  packing",  but  it  remains 
comparatively  dr}-  underneath.  With  a  good  strong  colony  of  bees, 
and  ventilation  above  the  packing,  I  have  never  known  trouble  from 
moisture. 

In  the  giving  of  protection,  chatf  hives  have  the  advantage  of 
always  being  ready  for  winter,  and  of  doing  awa^-  with  the  labor  and 
untidiness  of  packing  and  unpacking:  but  they  are  expensive  and 
cumbersome.  It  is  some  work  to  pack  bees  in  the  fall,  and  to  un- 
pack them  again  in  the  spring,  but  light,  single-wall,  readily  movable 
hives  during  the  working  season  are  managed  with  enough  less 
labor  to  more  than  compensate  for  that  of  packing  and  unpacking. 
Then  there  is  another  point:  The  work  of  packing  and  unpacking 
comes  when  there  is  comparative  leisure,  while  the  extra  work 
caused  by  great,  unwieldy-  hives,  comes  at  a  time  when  the  bee- 
keeper is  working  on  the  keen  jump. 

For  packing  material  I  have  used  wheat  chaff,  forest  leaves, 
planer  shavings  and  dry  sawdust.  I  have  never  used  cork-dust,  but 
it  is  probably  the  best  packing  material.  Its  non-conductivity  is 
nearh-  twice  that  of  chaff,  while  it  never  becomes  damp.  The  only 
objection  is  that  it  is  not  readily  obtainable,  and  usualh'  costs  some- 
thing, while  the  other  substances  mentioned  cost  nothing.  What 
the}-  lack  in  non-conductivity  can  be  made  up  in  quantity-.  And  this 
brings  up  the  point  of  the  proper  thickness  of  packing.  I  have  often 
thrust  m\-  hand  into  the  packing  surrounding  a  populous  colony-  of 
bees,  and  found  the  warmth  perceptible  at  a  distance  of  four  inches 
from  the  side,  and  six  inches  from  the  top.  This  would  seem  to 
indicate  the  thickness  when  sawdust  or  chaff  is  used.  I  presume 
that  packing  has  been  condemned  when  it  was  not  more  than  half 
done — that  is,  when  not  enough  material  is  used.  I  don't  appreciate 
the  arguments  of  those  who  advocate  the  use  of  ////;/  packing.  I 
don't  believe  that  the  benefit  of  the  heat  from  the  sun  during  an 
occasional  bright  da}-,  can  compensate  for  the  lack  of  pi-otection  dur- 
ing )no>iths  of  extreme  cold. 


180 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


r 


bo 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  181 

Hollow  walls  with  no  packing  have  had  their  advocates;  and  it 
has  been  asked  if  these  dead  (?)  air  spaces  were  not  equally  as  gfood 
non-conductors  of  heat  as  those  filled  with  chaff.  They  are  not.  In 
the  first  place,  the  air  is  not  "dead;"  it  is  constantly  moving.  The 
air  next  the  inside  wall  becomes  warm  and  rises;  that  next  the  outer 
wall  cools  and  settles;  thus  there  is  a  constant  circulation  that  robs 
the  inner  wall  of  its  heat. 

If  chaff  hives  are  not  used,  how  shall  the  packing  be  kept  in 
place?  I  know  of  nothing  better  than  boxes  made  made  of  cheap 
lumber.  If  there  is  lack  of  room  for  storing  them  in  summer,  they 
can  be  made  so  as  to  be  easily  "knocked  down,"  and  stacked  up 
when  not  in  use.  Of  course,  bees  can  be  packed  more  cheaply  by 
setting  the  hives  in  long  rows,  building  a  long  box  about  them,  and 
filling  it  with  the  material  used  for  packing.  With  this  method  the 
packing  ought  to  be  postponed  until  it  is  so  late  that  the  bees  are  not 
likely  to  fly  again  until  they  have  forgotten  their  old  locations;  else 
some  of  the  bees  will  be  lost,  or  some  of  the  colonies  get  more  than 
their  share  of  bees.  When  the}^  have  a  "cleansing  flight"  in 
winter,  there  is  also  a  likelihood  of  some  bees  returning  to  the  wrong 
hive.  Then,  when  the  bees  are  unpacked  in  the  spring,  there  is 
more  confusion  and  mixing;  but  I  don't  look  upon  this  as  so  ver^- 
serious  a  matter.  At  this  time  of  the  5'ear,  other  things  being  equal, 
a  bee  is  worth  just  as  much  in  one  hive  as  in  another.  If  there  is 
an^'  difference  in  the  strength  of  colonies,  the  weaker  ones  might  be 
left  nearest  to  where  the  bees  were  unpacked. 

Speaking  of  being  compelled  to  wait  about  packing  the  bees  un- 
til they  are  not  likelv  to  fly  again  until  some  time  in  the  winter, 
reminds  me  that  advantages  have  been  claimed  for  early  packing; 
that  bees  in  single-wall  hives  onlj-  wear  themselves  out  with  frequent 
flights  that  are  to  no  purpose,  while  those  that  are  packed  are  not 
called  out  b3-  every  passing  ra}-  of  sunshine;  that  the  earh^-packed 
bees  sooner  get  themselves  settled  down  for  their  winter's  nap,  and 
are  in  better  condition  for  winter  when  it  comes.  It  is  possible  that 
there  is  something  in  this,  but  there  were  two  or  three  years  in 
which  I  tried  packing  a  colony  or  two  as  earlj-  as  the  first  of  Septem- 
ber, and  I  continued  to  pack  a  colony  every  two  or  three  days  until 
the  fore  part  of  November,  and  I  was  unable  to  discern  any  advan- 
tage in  ver3-  early  packing.  If  the  bees  are  protected  before  freezing 
weather  comes,  I  believe  that  is  enough. 

There  is  one  other  point  that  ought  not  to  be  neglected  in  pre- 
paring the  bees  for  winter,  whether  in-doors  or  out,  and  that  is  the 
leaving  of  a  space  below  the  combs.  When  wintered  out  of  doors 
there   ought  to   be  a  rim    two   inches   high   placed    under  each   hive. 


182 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


This  not  only  allows  the  dead  bees  to  drop  away  from  the  combs  to 
a  place  where  they  will  dry  up  instead  of  moulding-  between  the 
combs,  but  if  there  is  an  entrance  cut  in  thi  upper  edge  of  the 
rim,  there  will  be  no  possibility  of  its  becoming-  clogged.  This 
empty  space  under  the  combs  seems  to  have  a  wonderful  influence 
in  bringing  the  bees  through  in  fine  condition,  and  I  am  not  certain 
why. 

Weak  colonies  can  seldom  be  wintered  successfully  out  of 
doors.  They  cannot  g-enerate  sufficient  heat.  In  the  cellar,  where 
the  temperature  seldom  g-oes  below  40  degrees,  quite  weak  colonies 
can  be  successfully  wintered. 

As  I  understand  it,  this  whole  matter  of  out-dooor  wintering-  of 
bees  might  be  summed  up  in  a  few  words:  Populous  colonies; 
plenty  of  ,^7;^>^/ food  and  ///^^r^^//.^/^  protection.  Simple,  isn't  it  ?  Yet 
there  is  a  world  of  meaning  wrapped  up  in  those  few  words. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  18: 


Tl^e  VenHilatMini  of  Bee  Cellair^ 


'EARS  ago,  "sub-eai-th"  ventilation  of  bee  cellars  was  almost 
universally  recommended.  Nearly  every  one  who  built  a 
bee  cellar,  also  buried  200  or  300  feet  of  drain-tile;  the  outer 
end  connecting-  with  the  open  air,  and  the  inner  end  enter- 
ing the  cellar.  To  remove  the  mr  trojji  the  cellar,  a  pipe,  connecting- 
with  a  stove  pipe  in  the  room  above,  extended  down  through  the  floor 
to  within  a  few  inches  of  the  cellar  bottom.  The  draft  of  the  stove 
pipe  "pulled  up"  the  air  from  the  cellar,  and  more  flowed  in  through 
the  sub-earth  pipe  to  take  its  place.  In  passing  through  the  sub- 
earth  pipe,  the  air  was  warmed.  If  there  was  no  stove  pipe  with 
which  to  connect  the  outlet  pipe,  it  was  extended  upwards  until  it 
reached  the  open  air.  The  air  in  the  cellar,  being  warmer  than  the 
outside  air.  flowed  out  of  the  upper  ventilator,  and  more  air  flowed  in 
through  the  sub-earth  tube. 

In  order  to  keep  the  temperature  even,  there  was  much  opening 
and  closing  of  the  ventilating  tubes.  In  verj'  severe  weather,  it  was 
often  necessary-  to  leave  the  openings  closed  several  days,  or  even 
weeks.  At  such  times  it  was  noticed  that  the  bees  suffered  no  in- 
convenience. Not  onh-  this,  but  it  was  often  noticed  that  when  the 
ventilators  were  opened,  the  in-rush  of  fresh,  cool  air  aroused  the 
bees  and  made  them  uneasy.  Finally,  the  ventilators  were  opened 
less  and  less,  and,  at  last,  they  were  left  closed  all  of  the  time. 

The  amount  of  air  needed  by  bees  varies  greatly  according  to 
circumstances.  When  they  are  excited  and  full  of  honey,  as  is  the 
case  with  a  swarm,  the  amount  of  air  needed  is  very  great.  If  they 
can  be  kept  quiet,  a  very  little  air  will  suffice.  In  winter  the  bees 
are  in  a  semi-dormant  state,  one   closely   bordering  on   hibernation, 


184  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

as  that  word  is  properly  understood,  and  the  amount  of  air  necessary 
for  their  maintenance  is  very  slig-ht.  I  believe  it  was  Mr.  D.  L. 
Adair  who,  years  ago,  removed  a  box  of  surplus  honey  from  a  hive, 
and,  leaving-  the  bees  in  possession,  pasted  several  layers  of  paper 
over  the  entrance.  As  all  of  the  cracks  and  crevices  were  stopped 
with  propolis,  the  box  was  practically  air-tight.  The  bees  were  kept 
confined  several  days,  yet  did  not,  apparently,  suffer  for  want  of  air. 
Mr.  James  Heddon  tells  of  some  man  who,  wishing-  to  "take-up" 
some  of  his  colonies  in  the  fall,  plastered  up  the  entrances  with  blue 
clay,  expecting  to  kill  the  bees  by  suffocation.  Upon  opening  the 
hives  a  few  days  later,  imagine  the  discomfiture  of  their  owner  at 
seeing  the  bees  fly  right  merrily.  I  have  several  times  wintered 
bees  successfully  in  "clamps"  where  the  bees  were  buried  under 
two  feet  of  frozen  earth.  Prof  A.  J.  Cook  even  went  so  far  as  to  her- 
metically seal  up  two  colonies  by  throwing  water  over  the  hives  and 
allowing  it  to  freeze,  thus  forming  a  coating  of  ice  over  the  hives. 
The  bees  survived  this  treatment.  It  is  not  likely  that,  in  any  of  these 
experiments,  the  coverings  surrounding  the  bees  were  absolutely 
air  tight,  but  enough  is  proven  to  show  that,  in  winter,  bees  can  sur- 
vive, and,  apparently  thrive,  with  a  very  limited  amount  of  air. 

Special  ventilation,  simply  for  the  sake  of  securing  fresher  or 
purer  air,  seems  to  be  almost  wholly  unnecessary;  the  few  bee-keep- 
ers who  plead  for  special  ventilation  do  so  almost  wholly  upon  the 
ground  that  they  can  thereby  more  readily  control  the  temper- 
ature. If  the  repository  is  sufficiently  under  the  ground,  it  does  not 
seem  as  though  ventilation  would  be  very  much  needed  for  control- 
ling the  temperature,  unless  it  might  be  towards  spring  when  the 
bees  had  commenced  breeding,  and  a  large  number  of  colonies  were 
in  the  cellar. 

When  bees  settle  down  into  that  (juiescent  state  that  accom- 
panies successful  wintering,  their  need  of  air  is  very  slight,  indeed. 
When  their  winter  nap  is  ended,  and  spring  arouses  them  to  activity, 
and  to  brood  rearing,  more  air  is  needed.  It  is  then,  if  ever,  that 
special  ventilation  is  a  benefit,  but,  as  this  can  be  secured,  in  the 
ordinary  cellar,  by  the  opening  of  doors  and  windows  at  night,  if  it 
ever  becomes  really  necessary,  it  scarcely  seems  necessary  to  go  to 
the  expense  of  supplying  sub-earth  pipes.  I  should  not  do  it,  nor 
advise  it.  When  bees  are  to  be  wintered  in  large  numbers,  in  a  spe- 
cial repository,  I  would  have  some  arrangement  whereby  the  heat 
could  be  allowed  to  pass  off,  if  it  should  become  advisable,  yet  not 
allow  the  entrance  of  light. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  185 


TIbe  P^elatioim  of  Moistlmire  to 
WiimteriiniM  ©f  Bees* 


S  IT  an  advantag-e  to  have  the  air  of  our  bee  cellars  dr3'?  Or,  do 
the  bees  winter  more  perfectlj^  in  a  moist  atmosphere  ?  Or.  is 
this  an  unimportant  factor?  If  it  is  important,  how  shall  we 
determine  what  degree  of  moisture  is  most  conducive  to  the 
health  of  the  bees,  and,  having  decided  this  point,  what  shall  we  do 
about  it  ?  How  can  we  control  the  amount  of  moisture  in  the  air  of 
our  bee  cellars?  All  these  queries,  and  man}"  more,  come  to  the 
man  who  is  thinking-  of  wintering-  his  bees  in  a  cellar. 

Whether  bees  can  be  successfully  wintered  in  a  damp  cellar, 
depends  largeh',  almost  wholl3^  upon  the  temperature  of  the  atmos- 
phere. "If  the  repositor}'  be  damp,  a  deg-ree  of  temperature  higher 
in  proportion  to  the  dampness  should  be  maintained." — ^A'.  W. 
McLai)i.  Referring  to  this  statement,  Mr.  Frank  Cheshire  says: 
"The  reason  being  that  the  water  has  an  enormous  capacity  for  heat 
(specific  heat)  whether  in  the  liquid  or  vaporous  form;  the  latter 
abstracts  heat  from  the  bees,  and  intensifies  their  strugg-le."  Dr. 
Youmans  says  "Air  which  is  already-  saturated  with  moisture 
refuses  to  receive  the  perspiration  offered  it  from  the  skin  and 
lungs,  and  the  sewage  of  the  s3-stem  is  dammed  up." 

A  moist  air  very  readih^  absorbs  heat,  and  more  quickh"  robs 
the  bees  of  that  element  so  essential  to  life;  hence  it  will  be  seen  why 
a  moist  atmosphere  must  also  be  a  warm  one  if  disastrous  results 
are  to  be  avoided. 

There  is  also  another  point,  in  the  wintering  of  bees,  upon  which 
moisture   has  a  bearing,  and  that  is  in  regard  to  its  effects  upon  the 


186 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


exhalations  of  the  bees.  If  the  exhalations  are  not  taken  up  readilj-, 
the  "sewage  of  the  system  is  dammed  up."  But  little  moisture  is 
re(|uired  to  saturate  cold  air;  that  is,  it  will  absorb  but  little  moisture, 
the  point  where  it  will  receive  no  more  being-  soon  reached.  As  the 
temperature  rises,  the  absorbing  capacit}^  of  the  air  increases. 
When  air  of  a  high  temperature,  at  that  of  our  bodies,  or  nearh'  that, 
is  saturated,  or  nearly  so,  with  moisture,  the  exhalations  from  the 
lungs  and  skin  are  taken  up  but  slowly;  we  are  oppressed,  and  say 
the  weather  is  "muggy."  This  explains  why  we  feel  better  on 
bright,  clear  days.  Heating  air  increases  its  power  of  absorption, 
hence  we  enjoy  afire  on  a  damp  day.     If   the  air  of  a  cellar  is  dry,  it 

will  be  readily  seen  that  the  tem- 
perature may  be  allowed  to  go 
much  lower.  In  other  words,  a 
cold,  dr}-  atmosphere  or  a  damp, 
warm  one,  may  be  about  equal, 
so  far  as  effects  are  concerned. 
This  is  a  point  that  bee-keepers 
have  not  sufficientl}'  considered. 
We  have  many  reports  of  the 
successful  wintering  of  bees  at 
such  a  degree  of  temperature, 
but  nothing  is  ever  said  as  to  the 
degree  of  saliiratio)}.  Bee-keep- 
ers ought  to  use  a  wet-bulb  ther- 
mometer in  their  cellars;  then  let 
the  degree  of  saturation  be  given 
with  that  of  the  temperature,  and 
we  would  have  something  ap- 
proaching accurac}'.  I  say  "approaching  accuracy,"  because  the 
strength  of  the  colonies,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  are  protected, 
have  a  bearing.  A  populous,  well-protected  colony  can  warm  up  the 
inside  of  the  hive,  expelling  the  moisture,  and  increasing  the  absorb- 
ing capacity  of  the  air.  Building  a  fire  in  a  room  on  a  damp  day  is 
the  same  thing  in  principle. 

As  mentioned  in  the  preceding  paragraph,  the  way  to  decide  in 
regard  to  the  amount  of  moisture  in  the  air,  is  by  the  use  of  a  wet- 
bulk  thermometer.  The  arrangement  is  very  simple,  and  any  of 
my  readers  could  make  one.  Attach  two  ordinary  thermometers, 
side  by  side,  to  a  piece  of  board.  Just  below  them,  fasten  a  tin  cup 
for  holding  water.  Make  a  light  covering  of  candle  wicking  for  one 
of  the  bulbs  at  the  bottom  of  the  thermometer,  allowing  the  wicking 
to  extend  down   into  the  water   in  the  cup.     The   water  will   ascend 


ADAANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  187 

the  wicking-  and  keep  the  bulb  constantly  wet.  There  will  be,  of 
course,  evaporation  from  the  wick  surrounding:  the  bulb.  Evapora- 
tion causes  a  loss  of  heat;  hence,  the  drier  the  air  the  sfi^eater  the 
evaporation,  the  g-reater  the  loss  of  heat,  and  the  lower  will  go  the 
mercury  in  the  wet-bulb  thermometer.  The  g-reater  the  difference 
in  the  reading's  of  the  wet  and  the  dry  bulb  thermometers,  the  drier 
the  air.  In  the  open  air  there  is  sometimes  a  difference  of  26  de- 
grees; but  this  is  unusual.  When  it  is  raining,  the  air  is  then  satu- 
rated. There  is  then  no  evaporation,  and  both  thermometers  show 
the  same  deg-ree  of  temperature.  In  the  cellar  in  which  I  used  the 
wet-bulb  thermometer  the  difference  in  the  reading's  of  the  two 
thermometers  was  usually  about  three  or  four  deg-rees,  with  the 
wet-bulb  instrument  standing-  at  about  36  degrees;  but  this  differ- 
ence could  be  increased  two  or  three  degrees  by  warming  the  air 
with  an  oil  stove.  If  the  mercury  in  the  wet-bulb  thermometer 
stands  at  36  or  40  deg-rees,  and  that  in  the  dry-bulb  as  much  as  four 
deg-rees  higher,  I  think  there  need  be  no  worry  about  moisture;  but 
if  the  difference  is  only  two  deg-rees  or  less,  either  the  temperature 
ought  to  be  raised,  or  the  air  dried  in  some  manner. 

Ventilation  of  cellars  has  been  objected  to  on  the  ground  that  it 
brought  moisture  into  the  cellar.  This  may  be  true,  but  not  in  freez- 
ing- weather.  Frozen  air,  if  the  expression  is  allowable,  has  a  very 
low  point  of  saturation.  That  is,  it  will  hold  very  little  moisture; 
and  when  it  is  brought  into  the  hig-hei  temperature  of  the  cellar,  and 
becomes  warmed,  its  capacity  for  absorption  is  greatly  increased — 
it  is  ready  to  receive  water  instead  of  giving-  it  out.  When  the  out- 
side air  comes  into  the  cellar,  and  deposits  moisture  upon  objects 
therein,  it  is  evident  that  the  in-coming-  air  is  warm  and  moisture- 
laden — warmer  than  the  cellar  and  its  contents. 

Mould  in  bee-repositories  is  usually  looked  upon  as  something- 
undesirable,  and  I  will  admit  that  its  appearance  is  far  from  pleas- 
ant, but  we  must  not  forget  that,  in  a  certain  sense,  it  is  a  plant — 
the  child  of  warmth  and  moisture — and  that  the  conditions  necessary 
for  its  development  may  not  be  injurious  to  the  bees — }na\'  be  more 
beneficial  than  a  condition  under  which  mould  does  not  develop,  viz., 
one  of  moisture  and  ro/d.  A  very  damp  cellar  ought  to  be  warm 
enough  for  the  development  of  mould.  But  the  cellar  need  not  be 
damp.  It  can  be  made  both  warm  and  dry.  These  matters  of  tem- 
perature and  moisture  are  under  our  control.  Either  by  fires,  or  by 
going  into  the  earth,  preferably  the  latter,  we  can  secure  the  proper 
temperature;  and  by  the  use  of  lime  to  absorb  the  moisture,  a  dry 
atmosphere    can  be    secured.     Certainly,    it  is   not  much    trouble  to 


188 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


keep  unslacked  lime  in  the  cellar.  A  bushel  of  lime  absorbs  28 
pounds  of  water  in  the  process  of  slackint^f. 

While  it  is  evident  that  moisture  in  ordinary  cellars  is  not  inju- 
rious, provided  the  temperature  is  high  enough,  it  is  a  great  comfort 
to  know  that  there  is  nothing  to  fear  from  a  drj'  atmosphere;  that  we 
can  indulge  our  fancy,  if  you  choose  to  call  it  that,  for  dry,  sweet- 
smelling,  mouldless  cellars,  and  know  that  the  results  will  be 
harmless. 

Some  bee-keepers  have  asserted  that  cellars  dug  in  clay  or  hard 
pan  are  more  difficult  to  keep  dry  than  when  dug  in  a  sandy  soil. 
Mr.  J.  H.  Martin,  when  living  in  New  York,  said  that  a  cellar  in 
hard  pan,  or  even  in  clay,  could  be  much  improved  bj-  digging  down 
two  or  three  feet,  tilling  in  with  stones,  then  with  gravel,  and  finish- 
ing up  with  a  covering  of  cement. 


A  Glimpse  of  a  Montana  Apiary. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  189 


ROF.  ATWATER  says  that  the  production  of  heat  in  the 
human  body  is  so  great  that,  if  there  were  no  way  for  it  to 
escape,  there  would  sufficient  accumulate,  in  an  average, 
well-fed  man,  to  heat  his  body  to  the  boiling-  point  in  36 
hours.  This  heat  is  gradually  passing  oif  by  radiation.  To  prevent 
too  rapid  radiation,  we  cover  our  bodies  with  clothing.  B"or  the  same 
reason,  we  surround  our  bees  in  winter  with  chaff  or  some  other 
non-conductor  of  heat;  but  there  is  no  way  in  which  the  radiation  of 
heat  can  be  so  completely  controlled  as  by  surrounding  the  heat  pro- 
ducing body  with  an  atmosphere  of  the  proper  temperature.  There 
is  no  method  by  which  the  most  desirable  temperature  for  wintering- 
bees  can  be  so  completely  secured  as  by  placing-  the  bees  in  a  cellar 
or  special  repositor3\ 

The  ordinary  house-cellar,  where  the  temperature  remains 
above  freezing-,  is  usually  a  g^ood  place  in  which  to  winter  bees.  Men 
who  are  engag-ed  extensively  in  bee-keeping  where  cellars  are  needed 
for  the  wintering-  of  bees,  usually  find  it  to  their  advantage,  perhaps 
a  necessity,  to  build  a  special  repository.  The  more  completely  the 
cellar  is  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  the  more  perfectly  can  the 
temperature  be  controlled.  It  should  be  remembered  that,  not  only 
is  there  the  winter's  cold  with  which  to  contend,  but  the  warmer 
days  of  late  winter  may  arouse  the  bees  and  make  them  uneasy 
before  it  is  time  to  remove  them  from  the  cellar;  unless  the  cellar  is 
deep  in  the  g-round  beyond  the  influence  of  outside  temperatures. 
The  walls  of  a  cellar  are  usually  laid  up  with  brick  or  stone,  but 
there  are  other  methods  of  making  a  cellar.     Mr.  T.  F.  Bing-ham,  of 


190 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  191 

Fai'well,  Michigfan,  has  a  cellar  that  has  been  compared  to  a  cistern. 
The  walls  are  made  sloping",  and  then  plastered  over  very  heavily 
with  cement,  after  the  manner  in  which  cisterns  are  sometimes 
made.  Over  the  cellar  is  laid  a  floor  covered  several  inches  with  dry 
sawdust,  while  a  roof  keeps  all  dr^',  Mr.  Bin.g-ham  is  a  believer  in 
havinj^  fresh  air  for  the  bees,  even  thoug^h  thej^  use  only  a  small 
amount,  and  he  has  a  ventilator  17  inches  square  running-  up  through 
the  ceiling  and  roof.  Mr.  Bingham  also  finds  this  ventilation  of 
great  help  in  keeping  the  bees  quiet  during  the  first  warm  days  of 
spring,  before  he  considers  it  late  enough  for  their  removal. 

Some  parts  of  the  countr^^  are  too  low  and  level  to  allow  the 
building  of  a  cellar  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  when  some 
sort  of  a  structure  above  g^round  is  the  only  resort.  Some  of 
these  above-ground  cellars  have  double  walls  built  of  brick,  others 
have  walls  of  stone,  and  still  others  are  made  of  cedar  or  pine 
logs  after  the  manner  of  a  log  house,  and  the  whole  structure  then 
covered  with  earth.  A  cellar  thus  surrounded  by  earth  is  almost  as 
thoroug-hly  proof  against  the  chang-es  of  temperature,  as  though 
built  under  g-round. 

Having  briefly  considered  cellars,  let  us  come  back  to  the  sub- 
ject of  temperature;  and,  h\  the  way,  I  am  certain  that  I  can  do  no 
better  than  to  quote  a  few^  paragraphs  upon  this  subject  from  an 
article  contributed  by  Mr.  R.  L.  Taylor  to  one  of  the  earl}' numbers 
of  the  Bee-Keepers'  Review.  Among-  other  things,  Mr.  Taylor  said: 
"I  think  it  a  truth  not  to  be  forg-otten  that  no  one  can  determine,  ex- 
cept approximately,  the  best  temperature  for  bees  in  another's  re- 
pository. The  condition  of  the  bees  as  to  numbers,  the  warmth  and 
ventilation  of  the  hive,  the  character  of  the  hives,  and  the  state  of  the 
repositorj^  as  to  moisture,  have  each  to  be  considered  in  deciding 
upon  temperature. 

Of  course,  the  bee-keeper  cares  nothing  about  the  temperature 
in  itself;  what  he  is  interested  in  is  in  knowing  what  the  condition  is 
in  which  the  bees  pass  the  winter  with  the  least  loss  of  vitality.  In 
what  manner  temperature  affects  this  condition  is  really  a  subsid- 
iary question.  If  we  could  agree  upon  the  primary  question,  I  think 
there  would  be  little  difficulty  in  solving  the  subsidiary  one. 

What  are  the  distinguishing  marks  of  the  condition  most  desir- 
able for  the  well  being  of  the  bees  ? 

We  know  that  at  the  beginning  of  their  season  of  rest,  bees 
cluster  closely,  and  we  know  that  so  strong  is  this  instinct  that  this 
state,  late  in  the  fall,  continues  in  a  temperature  that  at  another 
season  of  the  year  would  cause  extreme  activity.  There  is  no  doubt 
that  this  is  the  state  best  suited  to  the  preservation  of  the    physical 


192 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


UJ 


o 


o 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  193 

powers  of  the  bees.  Labor,  activity,  anxiety,  are  wearing  to  mortal 
flesh.  To  live  long-,  one  must  live  slowly.  We  wish  our  bees  to  have 
the  same  degree  of  physical  vigor  in  April  which  they  possess  in  No- 
vember. I  would  emphasize  the  adverb  in  the  phrase  'cluster 
closely,'  in  using  it  as  an  earmark  of  the  condition  desired.  The 
quietness  sought  should  be  a  quietness  to  the  eye,  and  not  to  the  ear 
alone.  The  right  cluster  is  knit  together,  and  the  individual  bees 
thereof  only  aroused  to  full  consciousness  by  positive  disturbance. 
Bees  in  a  loose  cluster,  or  spread  through  the  hive,  often  make  little 
sound  when  wearing  themselves  out  by  premature  brood  rearing 
or  by  over  feeding.  How  does  temperature  aifect  the  desired 
condition  ? 

Most  bee-keepers  know  that  temperature  below  a  certain  point 
causes  activity  among  the  bees  on  account  of  the  necessity  they  feel 
of  keeping  up  the  warmth  of  the  cluster  by  exercise,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent themselves  sinking  into  such  a  degree  of  chilliness  that  they 
shall  no  longer  have  the  power  to  resuscitate  themselves;  and  all 
know  that  as  the  period  of  rest  lengthens,  the  beesbecome  more  and 
more  susceptible  to  a  high  temperature,  and  are  very  likely  to  be 
pushed  by  it  into  unseasonable  activity.  Again,  the  temperature 
may  be  so  low  and  so  long  continued  that,  notwithstanding  their 
efforts,  the5^  perish  either  of  cold  or  starvation. 

Of  course,  the  temperature  that  determines  the  welfare  of  a 
colony  is  that  within  its  own  hive,  so  it  becomes  very  important  in 
fixing  the  temperature  to  consider  the  strength  of  the  colonies,  and 
size,  warmth  and  ventilation  of  the  hives.  A  temperature  that  would 
enable  a  weak  colony  to  winter  safely  would  almost  surely  greatly 
injure  a  strong  colony  in  a  hive  of  like  size  and  condition,  unless  its 
stores  were  of  good  quality,  and  vice  versa.  Weak  colonies  should  be 
protected  by  contraction  and  a  closer  hive — the  stronger  given  more 
ventilation.  A  moist  atmosphere  conveys  away  animal  heat  much 
more  rapidly  than  a  dry  one,  so  that  the  best  temperature  in  one  cel- 
lar might  vary  many  degrees  from  that  which  would  be  best  in 
another. 

I  have  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that,  with  stores  which  are  excep- 
tional, every  normal  colony  would  winter  well  in  an^^  ordinary  bee- 
cellar,  where  the  temperature  ranges  from  32  to  50  degrees,  Fahren- 
heit, and  that  we  err  when  we  attempt  to  make  successful  wintering 
turn  upon  anything  aside  from  food;  still,  no  doubt  the  temperature 
may  be  made  to  assist  the  bees  in  contending  with  the  distresses 
arising  from  the  unfit  food.  Warmth  makes  the  discomfort  of  their 
diarrhoetic  disease  less  unbearable.  In  a  low  temperature,  bees 
afflicted  with  diarrhoea  soon  perish   miserably.     So,  for  bees  thus 


194  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

diseased,  I  would  provide  a  hi<^h  temperature;  say  about  50  deg-rees, 
thereby  enabling  the  dying-  to  leave  the  hive,  the  diseased  to  void 
their  excreta  outside  the  cluster,  and  the  well  to  make  a  more 
courag"eous  fight  for  life. 

I  need  scarcely  add  anything-  more  upon  this  part  of  the  subject, 
and  shall  only  say  farther  that,  in  my  own  cellars,  where  the  air  is 
neither  very  moist  nor  very  dry,  and  where  there  are  no  draughts,  I 
consider  a  temperature  of  40  to  44  degrees  the  best  for  good  colonies 
in  hives  from  which  the  bottom  boards  are  entirely  removed.  If  the 
bottom  boards  are  not  removed,  I  think  that  five  degrees  lower  would 
be  about  equivalent. 

In  order  to  have  the  temperature  as  desired,  it  becomes  impor- 
tant to  have  one's  bees  in  a  repository  of  which  the  temperature  is 
nearly  independent  of  outside  changes.  This  is,  I  think,  secured 
far  more  satisfactorily  by  having  the  repository  entirely,  or,  at 
least,  very  largely,  below  the  surface  of  the  earth." 

As  the  temperature  is  higher  at  the  upper  part  of  a  cellar,  the 
weak  colonies  should  be  placed  in  the  topmost  tier  of  hives. 

It  has  been  urged  that,  as  spring  approaches,  and  breeding  be- 
gins,the  temperature  of  the  cellar  should  be  raised.  With  a  large 
number  of  colonies  the  increased  activity  would,  of  itself,  have 
a  tendency  in  this  direction.  If  there  are  only  a  few  colonies, 
artificial  means  of  raising  the  temperature  are  sometimes  em- 
ployed. Some  have  used  oil  stoves  in  the  hatchway  of  the  cellar; 
others  have  warmed  the  air  with  wood  or  coal  stoves.  If  an  oil  stove 
is  used,  there  ought  to  be  a  metal  hood  over  it,  and  a  pipe  connect- 
ing with  a  stove  pipe  in  the  room  above,  or  else  with  the  open  air. 
Of  course  an  oil  stove  can  be  used  without  such  an  arrangement, 
but  it  overloads  the  air  with  the  gases  of  combustion.  I  mention 
these  make-shifts  with  something  akin  to  reluctance,  as  I  feel  that 
the  proper  way  to  do  is  to  have  a  cellar  so  constructed  that  there 
will  be  no  necessity  for  their  use. 

Mr.  H.  R.  Boardman,  who  has  had  much  successful  experience  in 
wintering  bees  in  cellars,  prefers  to  have  a  bee  cellar  with  two  apart- 
ments, in  one  of  which  is  a  stove.  If  he  ever  finds  it  necessarj^  to 
resort  to  artificial  heat,  he  warms  the  air  in  the  ante  room,  and  then 
admits  it  to  the  room.  In  the  use  of  artificial  heat  he  does  not  find  it 
necessary  to  employ  it  constantly,  or  every  day;  in  fact,  he  says 
that  the  best  results  are  secured  by  giving  the  bees  the  benefit  of  a 
summer  temperature  for  a  short  time  once  a  week,  and  then  letting 
them  alone.  They  will,  after  being  warmed  up,  become  quiet  in  a 
short  time,  and  remain  so  for  several  days,  and  no  serious  results 
may  be  apprehended  from  cold,  if  in  a  frost-proof  cellar. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


195 


V    ■ 

....  'LidJ^a^    .      '-'^^ 

^^imk:- 

"4 

Wintering  Bees  in  a  "Clamp." 


196  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

There  is  still  another  method  of  securing:  the  proper  temperature 
for  wintering-  bees,  aside  from  that  of  packing-  them  in  chaff,  or  put- 
ting them  in  the  cellar,  and  that  is  that  of  burying  them  in  "clamps," 
as  they  are  called,  the  same  as  potatoes  and  apples  are  buried  in 
pits.  Along  trench  is  first  dug  a  little  wider  and  deeper  than  a 
hive.  In  the  bottom  is  placed  a  layer  of  straw,  then  two  pieces  of 
scantling  upon  which  to  set  the  hives.  Rails,  fence  posts,  or  any 
kind  of  supports,  are  then  laid  over  the  hives,  and  covered  with  straw 
upon  which  the  earth  is  thrown  to  a  sufficient  depth  to  exclude  the 
frost.  Sometimes  ventilation  is  given  these  clamps,  but  it  does  not 
seem  to  make  any  material  difference  whether  they  are  ventilated  or 
not.  It  does  make  a  difference,  however,  in  regard  to  the  soil  and 
situation.  In  a  sandy  or  gravelly  knoll,  where  the  water  will  never 
stand,  the  successful  wintering  of  the  bees  is  almost  assured.  In 
heavy  clay,  the  loss  of  the  bees  is  equally  certain.  I  say  this  from 
numerous  experiments.  Bees  in  a  clamp,  in  the  right  kind  of  soil, 
in  a  g-ood  condition,  winter  equally  as  well  as  in  a  cellar,  sometimes 
it  seems  as  though  they  winter  better,  and  the  only  possible  objec- 
tions to  this  method  are  the  labor  and  untidiness. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  197 


Caff'e  ©f  B©e©  iim  Wiimterc 


F  THEY  were  properh'  prepared  for  winter  the  preceding- 
autumn,  given  plenty  of  good  stores,  properly  protected  out  of 
doors,  or  placed  in  a  cellar  or  other  repository  having  the  proper 
temperature,  and  precautions  taken  against  depredation  by 
mice,  bees  require  almost  no  care  in  winter. 

No  bee-keeper  worth}'  the  name  will  allow  his  bees  to  go  into 
winter  quarters  short  of  stores.  They  ought,  at  least,  to  have  enough 
to  last  them  until  the  first  warm  da3's  of  spring-,  when  the}^  may  be 
handled  upon  their  summer  stands,  and  fed  if  necessary. 

However,  if  by  any  hook  or  crook,  bees  liave  gone  into  winter 
quarters  short  of  stores,  and  there  are  fears  that  some  of  them 
may  be  starving,  it  is  better  that  they  be  examined  and  fed  if  needed, 
even  though  the  task  may  be  unpleasant.  There  need  be  no  hesi- 
tancy in  thus  disturbing  the  bees  for  fear  that  it  may  do  them  some 
injury,  for,  as  a  rule,  it  will  not. 

Probabl}'  the  best  method  of  feeding  a  colony-  of  bees  in  winter, 
is  to  give  them  a  frame  of  honey.  If  no  honey  is  available,  and  some 
of  the  colonies  must  be  fed,  the  best  substitute  is  candy  made  from 
granulated  sugar.  Put  in  sufficient  water  to  dissolve  the  sugar,  then 
boil  the  syrup  until  it  will  harden  in  cooling":  To  learn  when  to  re- 
move the  candy  from  the  stove,  take  out  a  spoonful  every  few  minutes, 
and  allow  it  to  cool.  As  soon  as  it  begins  to  show  signs  of  hardening-, 
draw  the  vessel  containing  it  to  the  back  of  the  stove,  where  the  heat 
is  less.  Watch  it  carefully  and  try  it  frequently.  As  soon  as  it  is 
sufficiently  hard,  remove  it  from  the  stove,  and  pour  it  into  shallow 
dishes  to  cool.  Be  careful  not  to  get  it  too  hard.  If  it  is  hard  enough 
to  retain  its  form  when  placed  over  a  colony  of  bees,that  is  sufficient. 
A  thin  cake  of  such  candy  laid  directly  upon  the  frames  over  a  colony 
of  bees,  and  then  the  whole  top  of  the  hive  covered  with  a  piece  of 
enameled  cloth,  and  two  or  three  thicknesses  of  old  carpet  over  that, 
will  enable  the  bees  to  "hold  the  fort"  as  long  as  the  candy  lasts.  If, 
for  any  reason,  it  is  impossible,  or  undesirable,  to  place  the  candy  in 


198  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 

this  manner  upon  the  tops  of  the  frames,  the  candy  may  be  "run" 
directly  into  empty  brood  frames,  and  the  frames  hung-  in  the  hives 
adjoining-  the  bees.  To  fill  a  frame  with  candy,  lay  it  upon  a  smooth 
board  with  a  piece  of  paper  under  the  frame,  and  pour  in  the  candy, 
after  first  waiting  for  it  to  cool  until  it  is  as  cool  as  it  can  be,  and  yet 
be  made  to  "run."  To  keep  the  frame  down  close  to  the  paper,  so 
that  the  soft  candy  will  not  run  out  while  cooling,  tack  the  frame 
down  with  some  nails  just  long-  enough  to  hold  the  frame  down 
nicely,  but  not  long  enough  to  make  it  difficult  of  removal.  If  a 
frame  full  of  candy  is  more  than  a  colony  needs,  a  less  amount  may 
be  given  by  tacking  a  crossbar  in  the  frame,  part  way  up  from  the 
bottom,  and  filling  the  upper  space  only  with  candy. 

Mice  sometimes  do  some  little  damage,  both  to  colonies  wintered 
indoors,  and  those  in  the  open  air.  This  damage  is  confined  prin- 
cipally to  that  of  g-nawing  the  combs.  If  bee-keepers  would  only 
remember  that  bees  can  pass  through  a  space  that  is  less  than  K  of 
an  inch,  and  that  a  mouse  needs  a  space  nearly  twice  this,  it  would 
seem  that  there  need  be  no  trouble  in  keeping  mice  out  of  doors. 
Simply  contract  the  entrance  until  it  is  only  %  of  an  inch  the  nar- 
rowest way,  and  no  mice  can  enter.  This  should  be  done  quite  early 
in  the  fall,  as  cool,  frosty  nig-hts  often  drive  the  mice  into  the  warm 
retreat  to  be  found  inside  a  bee  hive.  When  bees  are  wintered  in 
the  cellar,  many  bee-keepers  practice  raising  the  hive  about  two 
inches  from  the  bottom  board;  others  remove  the  bottom  board  en- 
tirely. This  allows  plenty  of  ventilation  with  scarcely  any  escape  of 
heat.  All  dead  bees  and  rubbish  drop  down  away  from  the  cluster 
of  bees,  where  they  dry  up  instead  of  becoming-  mouldy  and  rotten 
from  contact  with  the  warmth  and  moisture  of  the  cluster.  If  a 
colony  docs  die,  the  combs  are  left  dry  and  clean,  instead  of  being 
stuck  together  with  a  mass  of  damp,  moldy,  rotting  bees.  All  who 
have  tried  raising  hives  in  this  manner  are  enthusiastic  in  its  praise; 
but  it  will  be  seen  that  this  plan  gives  the  mice,  if  there  are  any  in 
the  cellar,  free  access  to  the  hives.  The  remedy  is  to  trap  the  mice, 
or  poison  them.  For  the  latter  purpose  I  have  found  nothing  bettei 
than  equal  parts  of  flour,  white  sugar  and  arsenic,  mixed,  and  placed 
in  shallow  dishes  in  different  parts  of  the  cellar. 

Unless  the  cellar  is  well  under  ground,  where  it  is  well  beyond 
the  influence  of  the  outside  temperature,  it  is  well  to  keep  watch  and 
not  allow  the  temperature  to  run  too  low  in  protracted  cold  spells. 
A  lamp  stove,  burned  all  night  in  a  cellar,  will  raise  the  temperature 
several  degrees.  During  the  fore  part  of  winter,  a  low  temperature 
is  not  so  dangerous  as  it  is  towards  spring,  when  brood  rearing  may 
have   commenced.     From   35   to  45  degrees   will  answer   very  well 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  199 

until  towards  sprincr,  when  itoug-ht  not  to  be  allowed  to  go  below 
30  degrees,  and  may  with  safety  go  as  high  as  48  or  50  degrees.  So 
long  as  the  bees  remain  quiet,  I  should  not  disturb  them  with  artificial 
heat.  If  the  cellar  becomes  too  luann  in  the  spring,  before  it  is  time 
to  remove  the  bees,  it  may  be  cooled  down  by  carrying  in  ice  or 
snow,  or  the  windows  and  doors  may  be  opened  at  night  and  closed 
in  the  morning. 

Years  ago,  many  bee-keepers  practiced  taking  their  bees  from 
the  cellar,  if  there  came  a  warm  day  in  the  winter,  and  allowing 
them  to  fly,  returning  them  again  to  the  cellar,  but  this  practice  has 
been  pretty  nearly  abandoned.  If  the  bees  are  in  a  quiet  normal 
condition,  it  often  rouses  them,  and  sets  them  to  breeding  in 
mid-winter,  which  is  far  from  desirable.  Rapid  breeding  late  in 
winter,  or  very  early  in  the  spring,  is  decidedly  objectionable;  noth- 
ing so  quickly  wears  out  bees  as  the  rearing  of  brood;  and  the  more 
unfavorable  the  conditions,  the  greater  the  wear.  It  is  better  that 
the  bees  should  remain  quiet  until  warm  weather  furnishes  the  most 
favorable  conditions  for  brood  rearing,  when  the  same  expenditure 
of  vitality  will  produce  two  bees  instead  of  one.  Therefore,  don't 
allow  a  warm  daj^  or  two  in  the  winter  to  tempt  you  to  the  removal  of 
the  bees  from  the  cellar.  Wait  until  the  snow  is  gone,  and  there  is 
occasionally  a  day  warm  enough  for  bees  to  fl}^  then  take  them  out 
to  remain  permanently.  On  the  other  hand,  nothing  is  gained,  and 
much  may  be  lost,  by  leaving  the  bees  in  the  cellar  until  late  in  the 
spring.  Many  claim  superior  advantages  for  out-door  wintering, 
asserting  that  the  colonies  build  up  earlier  in  the  season.  They 
won't  if  the  bees  are  taken  from  the  cellar  early  enough;  and,  cer- 
tainly, it  requires  no  argument  to  show  that  bees  successfully 
wintered  in  the  cellar  are  better  able  to  bear  the  rough  weather  of 
spring  than  bees  that  have  endured  all  of  the  rigors  of  the  en- 
tire winter  out  of  doors.  In  most  of  our  Northern  States  the  main 
honej^  harvest  comes  early  in  the  season,  and  to  secure  this  harvest 
there  must  be  a  goodly  number  of  field  workers  at  the  right  time, 
and  the  eggs  from  which  these  workers  are  produced  must  be  laid 
several  weeks  previous  to  the  opening  of  the  harvest,  hence  the 
element  of  time  is  an  important  factor,  and  nothing  stimulates  a 
colony  in  a  healthy  manner,  and  sets  it  to  brood  rearing,  as  does  a 
flight  in  the  open  air,  even  if  nothing  is  brought  in.  Hence  it  will  be 
seen  that  early  removal  from  the  cellar  gives  the  bees  largelj-  the 
advantages  of  both  out-door  and  in-door  wintering. 

There  is  no  danger  of  the  cold  injuring  the  bees  when  thej-  are 
^r5/ removed  fi-om  the  cellar,  the  trouble  comes  from  late  freezes 
coming  after  two  or  three  weeks  of  fine  weather.     At   this  time   the 


200 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


OQ 


CQ 


O 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  201 

combs  are  filled  with  brood,  the  cold  drives  the  bees  into  a  compact 
cluster  in  the  center  of  the  hive,  and  all  of  the  brood  outside  of  this 
perishes.  All  of  this  loss  may  be  avoided  by  giving  the  bees  some 
sort  of  protection  after  taking  them  from  the  cellar.  First  see  that 
each  colony  has  a  queen  and  plenty  of  stores,  and  then  protect  it. 
This  spring  protection  need  not  be  an  elaborate  affair.  A  sheet  of 
tarred  building  paper  folded  down  over  the  hive,  and  fastened  at  the 
lower  edges  by  tacking  on  strips  of  lath,  will  answer  every  purpose, 
while  it  costs  only  three  cents,  and  can  be  put  in  place  in  less  than 
five  minutes.  This  makes  a  covering  that  is  both  wind  and  water- 
proof, and  wnll  absorb  every  particle  of  the  sun's  heat,  but,  more  im- 
portant than  all  this,  it  will  save  the  loss  of  brood  and  weak  colonies 
if  there  comes  a  "squaw  winter"  in  the  month  of  May. 

If  spring  protection  is  so  important  that  it  is  advisable  to  give  it 
after  taking  the  bees  from  the  cellar,  it  may  be  asked,  why  not 
practice  out-door  wintering,  then  wunter-protection  will  answer  for 
spring,  and  the  expense  of  a  cellar,  and  of  carrying  the  bees  in  and 
out,  will  be  avoided  ?  In  the  first  place,  the  saving  of  stores  in  cellar- 
wintering  will  pay  for  the  expense  twice  over;  and,  in  tlie  next  place, 
and  of  far  more  importance,  it  is  only  by  the  cellar  method  that  the 
wintering  of  bees,  in  a  cold  climate,  can  ever  be  reduced  to  a  perfect 
system.  By  a  selection  of  natural  stores,  or,  better  still,  by  using 
sugar,  we  can  secure  uniformity  of  food,  but  it  is  only  in  the  cellar, 
or  special  repository,  that  uniformitj^  of  temperature,  at  a  desirable 
point,  can  be  maintained. 

Carrying  the  bees  from  the  cellar  is  not  a  very  agreeable  task, 
aud  most  of  bee-keepers  make  it  much  worse  by  attempting  it  upon 
such  a  warm  day  as  to  set  the  bees  fairly  crazy  the  moment  the  out- 
door air  strikes  them.  It  comes  into  the  cellar  and  sets  the  bees  to 
flying,  and  often  there  is  a  general  mix-up  in  the  yard  by  the  bees  of 
one  colony  joining  with  those  of  another  in  full  flight,  and  following 
them  into  their  hive.  To  avoid  these  troubles,  some  bee-keepers 
carry  their  bees  out  in  the  night,  when  the  indications  are  that  the 
following  day  will  be  fair.  If  the  bees  have  wintered  perfeeily  and  are 
quiet,  all  of  these  annoj  ances  and  losses  maj'  be  avoided  by  carry- 
ing out  the  bees  upon  a  day  so  eool  i\\dii  the  bees  zcill  not  think  of  flying. 
This  idea  that  bees  must  fly  the  moment  that  they  are  taken  from  the 
cellar  is  one  of  those  old  notions  that  is  a  notion,  and  that  is  all.  If 
bees  have  to  wait  even  a  week  or  two  after  being  placed  upon  their 
summer  stands,  before  having  a  flight,  no  harm  will  comeasthe  result, 
providing-  fhey  have  not  wintered  poorlj^  and  are  so  anxious  for  a 
flight  as  to  leave  their  hives  when  the  weather  is  so  cool  that  they 
will  never  return. 


202  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


:ltEsioini< 


N  CONCLUSION  let  me  say  that  the  writing  of  this  book  has 
been  largely  a  labor  of  love,  of  hope,  of  a  desire  to  benefit  bee- 
keepers; to  arouse,  encourage  and  inspire  them,  and  lead  them 
to  adopt  better  methods. 

I  wish  them  to  have  broader  views  of  their  occupation,  to  look 
upon  it  as  a  bns/ucss,  to  stop  "fussing"  with  a  /c7V  bees,  to  get  rid 
of  other  hampering  pursuits,  to  branch  out  and  keep  enough  bees  to 
employ  all  of  their  time,  energy  and  capital. 

No  more  ennobling  pursuit  exists  than  that  of  bee-keeping.  It  is 
the  poetry  of  agriculture.  It  is  uplifting  and  inspiring,  health-giv- 
ing and  useful,  fascinating  and  profitable.  It  improves  the  mind, 
trains  the  eye  and  hand,  cheers  the  heart,  and  fills  the  pocket  book. 
Knowing  all  this  as  I  do,  it  pains  me  beyond  expression  to  see  it 
maligned  and  belittled,  to  hear  it  called  a  precarious  and  uncertain 
pursuit,  one  that  must  be  tacked  on  to  the  tail  of  something  else, 
w^hen  I  ^-fiozp  that,  rightly  managed  as  a  specialty,  there  is  no  rural 
pursuit  more  safe,  pleasant  a.nd  reliable. 

If  this  book  does  no  more  than  to  show  the  possibilities  of  ad- 
vanced bee  culture,  if  it  only  succeeds  in  giving  the  doubting  Thomas 
courage  and  faith  to  rid  himself  of  all  encumbrances,  and  then  press 
on  to  success  with  bees  alone,  if  it  helps  to  change  bee-keeping  from 
a  hap  hazard,  happy-go-lucky  side-issue  to  the  dignity  of  a  reliable 
business,  it  will  not  have  lived  in  vain. 

Reader,  the  time  has  come  to  say  good  bye.  To  me  it  seems 
like  parting  from  a  dear  friend;  and,  in  closing,  let  me  say  that  I 
would  be  delighted,  at  any  time,  to  receive  criticisms,  suggestions  or 
queries  regarding  any  of  the  topics  mentioned  in  this  book. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


203 


"Accordinff  to  Nature,"  Modem  Bee   Culture 

Sometimes  is  not  Managed 23 

Ad vantagres  of  Feeding  Back  106 

Advantages  of  a  House  Apiary 136 

After-Swarming,  Prevention  of 71 

Arrangement  of  Hives  and  Buildings 46 

Artificial  Heat  in  a  Bee  Cellar 194,  198 

Baldridge  Plan  of  Treating  Foul  Brood ...   147 

Basket  for  Shaking  Swarms  into 77 

"Ball"  their  Queen,  What  to  do  When  Bees. . .     93 

"Baby"  Nuclei  for  Queen  Rearing 85 

Basswood   and  its   Qualities  for  Making  Sec- 
tions       41 

Best  Stock  and  How  to  Secure  it 30 

Bee-Keepers  are  poor  Salesmen 119 

Bee-Keeping  as  a  Business 9 

Bee  Escapes 110 

Beeswax,  the  Rendering  of 164 

Bee-Box,  the  Construction  of  a 19 

Black  Brood 143 

Bottom  Board,  a  "Dirt  Cheap" 34 

Brushes  for  Brushing  Bees  off  the  Combs 54 

Broad  Light  in  which  Bee-Keeping  Should  be 

Viewed,  the... ^ 22 

Burying  Bees  in   a  "Clamp" 196 

Caging  a  Queen  Against  a  Comb  to  Introduce 

Her 65 

Cages  for  Shipping  Queens 92 

Catcher,  How  to  Use  a  Swarm 7b 

Care  of  Bees  in   Winter 197 

Cart  for  Wheeling   Hives 50 

Camiolan    Bees 33 

Carrying  baes  out  of  the  Cellar 201 

Caution  Needed  in  trying  New  Th'ngs 21 

Cells  in  Queen  Rearing.  Starting 82 

Cellars,  Above  Ground 191 

Change  of  Locality,  Cautions  to  be    Observed 

in 29 

Chaff  Hives 36,  179 

Chemicals  in  the  Treatment  of  Foul  Brood. 

the  use  of 1 45 

Circles,  Arranging  Hives  in 48 

"Clamp."  Wintering  bees  in  a 196 

Closed -End  Frames 36 

Clothing  for  Bee-Keepers,  Comfortable ,     52 

Clipped  Queens 74 

Clipping    Queens'    Wings    to    Control    Their 

Flight  and  Mating 162 

Confidence  in  Leaders,  Having  Undue 23 

Conclusion 202 

Comforts  and  Conveniences  in  the  Apiary 51 

Color  of  Hives   has  a  Bearing  upon  the  Neces- 
sity of  Shade 58 

Controlling  Swarms  with  a  Fountain  Pump.  • .     76 

Commercial  Queen  Rearing 79 

Comb  Honey  and  Locality 27 

Comb  Foundation,  Use  and  Abuse  of 63 

Covers  for  Hives 34 

Contraction  of    the    Brood    Nest    Forces   the 

White  Honey  into  the  Supers 60 

Contraction  of  the  Brood  Nest 60 

Comb  Honey,  the  Production  of 108 

Combination  System  of  Producing  both  Comb 

and  Extraeted  Honey 109 

Cratmg  Honey  for  Shipment IIQ 

Cyprian  Bees 30 

Delays  in  Ordering  Supplies  are  Expensive. . .     24 

Decoy  Bee  Hives 16 

Description  of  Foul  Brood 140 


Dead  (?)  Air  Spaces 181 

Ded  ication 4 

Distance  Apart  to  Place  Hives 49 

Distance  Apart  10  Establish  Out-Apiaries     ■   131 

Divisible-Brood-Chamber  Hives 36,  62 

Divisible-Brood-Chamber    an   Advantage  in 

Contraction  of  the  Brood  Nest 62 

Dipping-Stick    for    Making    Artificial  Queen 

Cells 80 

Direct  Introduction 94 

Difference  in  Honey  as  a  Winter  Food 174 

Disinfecting  Foul  Broody  Hives  not  Necessary  148 
Diarrheoa  caused   by   an  Overloading  of   the 

Intestines 172 

Double  Bee  Brush 55 

Drawn  Combs  in  Hiving  Swarms,  the  use  of . .  63 
Drone  Combs  Sometimes  Built  when  Starters 

only  are  Used 66 

"Dummies"  are  Needed  in  Contraction  of  the 

Brood  Nest   When 61 

Exhibits  at  Fairs,  Apiarian 150 

Experimenting  upon  too  Small  a  Scale 23 

Extracting  Honey  after  the  Season  is  Over..  .   115 

Extracted  Honey  Production   114 

Extracted  Honey  and  Locality 27 

Fall  Feeding  of  Bees 174 

Fairs.  Apiarian  Exhibits  at 150 

Fall  Feeding.  Late 107 

Few  Bees  a  Mistake,  Keeping  too 21 

Fertilization  of    Queens  in  a   Practical  way. 

Controlling  the 163 

Fence  Separators 42 

Feeder,   Alexander 101 

Feeding  of  Bees 99,  101,  174 

Feeding  bees  in  Winter 197 

■'Feeding  Back"  p:xtracted  Honey 101 

Feeding  of  Kes,  the  Fall 174 

"Feeding  Back,"  Obii-ctions  to 106 

Few  Visits  a  Year,    Managing  Out-Apiaries 

by  a 133 

Fertilization  of  Queens  in  Confinement 159 

Fountain  Pump  for  Controlling  Swarms 76 

Folly  of  Judging  one  Locality  by  Another 25 

Four-Piece  Sections 41 

Food  for  use  in  Shipping  Queens 91 

Fortelling  Swarming  in  a  House  Apiary 139 

Food  to  the  Wintering  of  Bees  the  Relation  of . .   172 

Foul  Brood 140 

Foul     Brood     in     Buying    Queens,     Caution 

Against 93 

Frames,  Self-Spacing 35 

Frames  Supported  on  Nails 35 

Frames,  Closed-End 35 

Fuel  for  Smokers 54 

German  Bees 30 

German  Wax   Pre=s 166 

General  Farming  does  not  Combine  to  Advan- 
tage with  Bee-Keeping 9 

Gloves  Seldom  Needed 53 

Grass  May  be  Kept  Down  by  the  use  of  Salt . .     53 

"Green"  Extracted   Honey 114 

Groups,  Arranging  Hives  in 48 

Hatching  Brood  plan  of  Introducing  Queens..     97 

Heat  in  a  Bee  Cellar.  Artificial 194.  198 

Heddon  Super 45 

Heddon  Feeder 103 

Hive,  the  Choice  of  a 33 

Hives.  Locality  and  Size  of 27 

Hives,  Divisible-Brood-Chamber 36 


204 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Hives  not  Necessary  in  Treating  Foul  Brood, 

Disinfecting- 148 

Hiving- of  Bees "4 

Honey  Lemonade  at  Fairs,  Selling 551 

Honey  Boards 38 

Honey  Houses 47 

House- Apiaries 136 

Hopelessly  tJueenlessBees  are  Almost  Certain 

to  Accept  a  L>ueen 96 

Hygrometer  in  the  Wintering  of  Bees,  the  use 

of  a        186 

Hunting  Wild  Bees IT 

Implements,  Importance  of  Appropriate 22 

Improvement  of  Stock   32 

Increase  a  Mistake,  Too  Kapid 21 

Increase,  its  Management  and   Control 69 

Introduction 5 

Introducing  yueens 93 

Italian  Bees 30 

Judging  at  Fairs 157 

Lamp  Nursery  for  Queen   Rearing 83 

Large  Hives    Desirable   When  Producing  Ex- 
tracted   Honey ?3 

I  arge  Hives  Versus  Small   Hives 33 

Large  Numbers,  Keeping  Bees  in 13 

Lemonade.  Honey 151 

Liquefying  I':xtracted  Honey 118 

Locality  and  Swarming 27 

Locality  and  Different  Varieties  of  Bees 25 

Locality  and  its  Influence  on  Wintering 25 

Locality,  the  Influence  of 25 

Lo  ality  and  the  Kind  of  Honey  to  Produce. . .     27 

Locality  and  Size  of  Hives 27 

Locating  an  Apiary 46 

Marketing  of  Honey 119 

Mating  of  Queens,  Odd    Arrangements  Favor 

the  Safe 50 

Mice    and    the    Damage   they  do  to  bees   in 

Winter, 198 

M'-i-sissippi,  Moving  up  the 128 

Mistakes  in  Bee-Keeping 21 

Migratory  Bee-Keeping   123 

Moving  Bees  to  Better  Pastures 1.5 

Moiscure  to  the  Wintering  of   Bees,  the  Rela- 
tion of -  185 

Nail-Supported  Frames 3 

Nailinif  up  Hives 34 

Obiect'ons  to  a  House  Apiary 138 

One-Piece   Sections   41 

Out- Doer  Wintering  of  Bees 17() 

Out-Apiaries 1-'' 

Overstccking 129 

Packing  of  Bets,  Materials  that  may  be  U.sed 

in  the 179 

Packages  for  Retailing  Extracted  Honey 121 

Pickled   Brood 141 

Planting  for  Honey  Seldom   Profitable 24 

Plain  Sections 42 

Pollen  and    its  Influence  on  the   Wintering  of 

Bees 173 

Populous   Colonies    Necessary    in    Producing 

Comb   Honey 108 

Prevention  of  After-Swarmjng 71 

Prod   ct ion  of  Comb  Honey 108 

Preparing  the  Feed  when  Feeding  Back 103 

Protection   Needed  in   Winteiing  Bees  in   ihe 

North 178 

Protection  of  bees  in  the  Spring 201 

Producing  Grod  Extracted  Honey, 1I4 

Premium  List  for  use  at  fairs,  A  Mrdel ]5() 

Purifjing  Betswax 171 

Queens  in  Confirement,  Fertilizat  on  of 159 

Queens,  Shipping 91 

Queens,  Clipped i'4 

Queen  Register 91 

Queen  Nursery  fir  Caring  for   Queen  Cells 83 

Queen  Rearing,  Transferring  Larvae  in  82 

Queen  Rearing 79 

Queen  Traps 74 

Queen  Excluders 38 

Quality  of  Honey. 114 

Removing  Comb  Honey  from  the  Hives 112 

Register,  Queen    11 

Rendering  Beeswa.x 164 


Ripening  Honey 115 

Rows,  Objections  to  Having  Hives  Standing 

in  long 47 

Salycilic  Acid  in  the  Treatment  of  FculBrocd, 

the  use  of 145 

Salt  for  Keeping  Down  the  Grass 53 

Scales  of  Foul   Brood.  How  lo  Find  the  Dried 

Down 143 

Scale  of  Points  to  be  Used  in  Judging  at  Fairs  157 

Securing  Bees  for  a  Start  in  Bee-Keeping 16 

Sections  and  Their  Adjustment  on  the  Hive..     41 

Section  Holders 44 

Separators 43,    44 

Seat  for  Bee-Keepers  5'! 

Secretion  of  Wax 63 

Second  Hand    Cans    Sometimes    Convey    the 

(ierms  of  Foul  Brood 145 

Selling  Honey  at  Fairs      151 

Shade  for  Bees 57 

Shade-Board,  How  to  Make  a  Cheap 58 

ShooK-bwarraing 70 

Shipping   Queens ''1 

Simmins  Met h  id  of  Introducing  Queens '>3 

Smoker  with  Kerosene.  Lighting  a.. 51 

Solar  Wa.x  Extractor 165 

Specialty  and  its  Advantage- 9 

Spokes  of   a  Wheel,  Arranging   Hives  in   rows 

like  the 47 

Spring  Protection  for  bees 201 

Space  Below  the  Combs  in  Winter  a  Benefit..  181 
Steady  Employment   all  the   Year,  Bee-Keep- 
ing Furnishes .     13 

Start  in  Bee-Keeping,  Making  a 15 

Starters   only    in    the   Brood    Nest   are    more 

Profitable 5 

Stock  and  How  to  Secure  it   The  best 30 

Storing  Extracted   Honey 118 

Stimulative  Feeding   99 

Supers         45 

Superior  Stock,  the  Importance  of 11 

Sub-Earth  Ventilation 183 

Su gar  a  Sale  Winter  Food  for  Bees 173 

Sulphuric  Acid  for  Purifying  Wax,  The  Use  of  171 

Swarming  and  Locality i7 

Swarming,  the  Cau.se  of 6'1 

Sw  arm   Catchers 76 

Swarms  Uniting  in  the  Air 75 

Swarms  into.  Basket  for  shaking 77 

Syrian   Bees 30 

Tall  Versus  Square  Sections   42 

Tent  for  Fertilizing  Queens  in  Confinement.. .   160 
Temperature  in  the  Wintering  of  bees,  the  In- 
fluence of 180 

Thermometer,  the  use  of  a  wet- bulb 180 

Tin  Separat  ors  44 

Tiering  up  in  Producing  Comb  Honey 110 

Tobacco  Method  of  Introducing  Queens '17 

Transferring  L,arvae  in  Queen    Rearing 82 

Travelling  from  one  Apiary  to  Another ..   131 

Treatment  cf  Foul  Brood 145 

Uniting  in  the  Air,  Swarms 75 

Unfinishtd  Sections  of    Drawn    Comb   get  the 

bees  at  work  i n  the  Supers lO'i 

Uncapping  Honey  for  Extracting 117 

Use  and  Abjse  o(  Comb  Foundation 63 

Variety  ot  bees  and  Locality 25 

Ventilation  Needed  in  the  out-dcor  Wintering 

of  Bets 179 

Ventilation  of  Bee  Cellars 183 

Veil,  A  C  omiortable  way  of  Wearing  a 5  < 

Watchina  for  F jul  x^rood 141 

Wax    Secretion 63 

Wax  Presses 166 

Wealth  not  likely   to  be  Secured  at  Bee-Keep- 
ing, Great 13 

Wholesalmg  Honey  to  Ketail  Dealers 122 

Winter  t<"light?  not  Nece.ssary  for  bees  in  the 

Cellar 199 

Wintering  of  bets,  the  Relation  of  Moisture  to 

the 185 

Wintering  of  Bees   the  Influence  of    Tempera- 
ture in  the  189 

Wintering  of  bees,  Out-Door i76 

Wintering  of  bees,  the  Relation  of  Food  to  the .  •   172 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


20b 


QUALITY 

IN  BEE 
/UPPLIE/ 


i 


John  Doll  &  Son, 
Power  Building 
Minneapolis. 
Minnesota. 


ii 


^HE  qualit}'  of  our  supplies  is  second 
to  none.  No  matter  how  small  or 
insignificant  the  article  ma.v  be  we 
give  careful  attention  to  its  manu- 
facture. The  material  emplojecl  is  of  the 
very  best  to  be  had. 

It  is  our  firm  belief  that  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  bee-keepers  are  interested  in  securing- 
supplies  of  quality  and  would  even  be  will- 
ing to  pay  a  larger  price  to  make  sure  that 
thej'  get  a  better  article.  But  it  is  not  nec- 
essary to  pay  more  than  you  now  pay  for 
ordinary  supplies,  because  we  are  enabled 
to  sell  the  same  g-rade  of  goods  at  a  lower 
price  or  a  better  article  at  the  same  price  as 
others  now  charge. 

Our  factory  is  located  in  the  heart  of  the 
raw  lumber  district.  We  pav  no  freight  on 
raw  material.  Our  factor^'  is  equipped 
throughout  with  modern  machiner\'  and  we 
employ  only  the  most  skilled  workmen. 

Situated  as  we  are  at  the  falls  of  St. 
Anthonj',  from  where  we  derive  our  power, 
we  make  another  great  saving  Xo  place  is 
better  situated  for  shipping  facilities  than 
the  city  of  Minneapolis. 

All  orders,  whether  large  or  small,  will 
receive  careful  attention.  Any  article  not 
absolutely  satisfactory  may  be  returned  and 
money  will  be  refunded  without  question. 
We  solicit  a  trial  order. 


fWr^'ff\f%'f\Wf"% 


20A 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


M 


PERFECTION  IN  EXTRACTORS. 

The  long'  wished  for  practical,  automatic  extractor  has  at  last  been  found. 
The  Root  Automatic  solves  the  question  completely.  No  complicated  mi-chan- 
ism:  it  is  simplicity  itself.  All  orders  (or  4-lrami-  Cowan  or  lartfer  will  tx'  tilted 
with  the  Automatic  device  at  the  old  price.  Our  e.xtractors  now  are  practicalli" 
all  steel  construction.  4-frame  or  larjrer  are  fitted  with  ball  bearinjrs,  which  are 
completely  above  the  honey      Cans  are  beautifully  enameled  and  lettered. 


i 
i 
i 


Root's  Automatic  8-fram«  Honey  Extractor  connected  to  run  with  a  small 
Gasoline  Engine. 

Where  a  farm'  amount  o(  t'xlracted  honey  is  priHluced.  a  power  driven  extract- 
or will  handle  the  crop  much  more  economically  than  by  hand  power.  Labor  lor 
extractintr  is  e.\pensive.  Our  special  motor  will  run  a  Jumlxi  25o-pound.  .*<-franie 
Automatic  P^xtractor  all  day,  stoppinir  and  starting  the  n-el  at  «ill.  runninwr  at 
any  speed,  with  the  consumption  of  only  three  (juarts  of  trasoline.  This  makes 
the  expense  only  one  and  one-half  ci-nts  per  hour.  Prices  an<l  full  <lisiri|ition  of 
these  machines  will  be  .sent  on  application. 

THE  A.   I.   ROOT  COMPANY,  Medina,  Ohio. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


207 


Mr 

\h 

\h 

\h 
\h 
\h 

\h 

\h 
\h 
\h 

\h 
\h 

\h 

\h 
\l/ 
\h 

\h 
\h 
\l/ 

\h 
\l/ 


For  tihe 


Supplies 
"We  can  supply  j'oii  with  everj-thing"  needed  in  modern  Api- 
culture. Our  line  of  hives  is  complete,  and  the  very  best  designs 
with  scientific  construction.  Our  sections  are  the  best  made  and 
we  manufacture  millions  ever3' year.  Our  extractors  are  practic- 
ally the  onl3'  ones  on  the  market  for  no  one  has  been  able  to  turn 
out  such  excellent  machines  at  so  low  a  cost.  Shipping-  cases, 
frames,  smokers,  foundation,  perforated  zinc — everything-.  In 
every  detail  of  construction  is  found  "Root  Quality,"  which  has 
made  Root's  g^oods  known  the  world  over  for  the  standards  of 
perfection  in  things  apicultural. 

Queens  and  Bees 

We  are  in  unexcelled  position  to  suppl}'  the  finest  stocks  of 
bees  and  queens.  We  have  eleven  apiaries.  Root's  bees  are  fa- 
mous the  world  over  for  their  manj-  points  of  excellence.  You 
make  no  mistake  in  introducing;  them  into  your  3'ards.  A  price 
list  on  application. 

Gleanings 

Everyone  interested  in  bees  will  be  benefited  by  Gleaning^s  in 
Bee  Culture.  Itg^ives  you  the  latest  in  the  apicultural  world.  If 
you  have  honey  or  wax  to  dispose  of  it  will  tell  you  the  buyers 
and  the  latest  market  prices.  If  you  have  troublesome  questions 
to  solve  it  will  answer  them.  In  fact,  it  will  save  you  dollars 
ever3^  year.  Subscription  price,  $1  00  per  j^ear.  Trial  six  months 
for  25  cents. 

A  B  C  of  Bee  Culture 
No  bee-keeper  can  afford  to  be  without  a  book  of  reference. 
While  the  title  "A  B  C"  is  a  good  one,  the  book  covers  also  the 
X  Y  Z  of  the  industr}'.  No  bee  book  has  had  such  a  sale.  100 
thousand  copies  have  been  printed.  For  the  amount  of  reading- 
matter  the  A  B  C  is  the  cheapest  book  sold.  Fullj'  illustrated. 
Price  SI. 00,  postag"e  20  cents  extra.  Ask  for  our  catalog  of  books 
for  bee-keepers. 


WhQ  Ao  2,  IROOT  C( 


Medlii^mo  Olhi© 


(f> 
(♦> 

(^> 


208 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


4**  $ 


^^^. 


LKT. JKXaKB  ,«0 


V  .>  V  .X--  X   ,,>■  V  ,^-  ^  /  *v 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  209 


^*If  Goods  are  wanted  Quick  send  to  Pouder" 


Established  J 889 

BEE 
KEEPERS' 
SUPPLIES. 


Distributor  of  Root's  Goods  from   the   best    shipping-  point    in  the 

Country.     Mj'  prices  are  at  all  times   identical    with  those 

of  the  A.  I.  Root  Company,    and    I    can    save    you 

mone3'  by  way   of   transportation  charges. 


Dovetailed   Hives,  Section   Honey-boxes,  Weed-Pro- 
cess Comb  Foundation,  Honey  and  Wax   Extract- 
ors,  Bee-smokers,   Bee-veils,   Pouder  Honey 
Jars,  and,  in  fact 

Everything  Used  by  Bee=Keepers. 

Headquarters  for  Danzenbaker  Hive. 

Finest  grades  of  Comb  and  Extracted  Honey  bought  and 
sold.     No  commission  business. 

BEESWAX  WANTED. 

I  par  the  highest  market  price  for  beeswax,  delivered  here,  at  any  time,  cash  or  trade. 

Make  small  shipments  by  express:  large  shipments  by  freight,  always  being  sure 

to  attach  your  name  to  the   package.     My   large   illustrated  catalog  is 

free.     I  shall  be  glad  to  send  it  to  you. 

WALTER  S.  POUDER 

513=515  Mass.  Ave.  Indianapolis,  Ind. 


210 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


York  Honey  *supp.r  Co. 

Not  Inc. 

141-143  Ontario,  St. 


Chicago, 


Illinois 


Best  and  most  direct  shipping 
point  in  the  world.  We  carry  a 
complete  line  of 

Lewis'  Popular  Bee  Supplies 

If  you  want  prompt  delivery,  low  freight  rates, 
the  best  goods,  at  reasonable  prices,  a  complete 
Catalog,     prices   on  Honey    or    Beeswax    send    to 

H.  M.  ARND,  Mgr. 


We  Buy 

and  sell  for  cash  only 
Extracted     and    Comb 

HONEY 
Correspondence  Invited 
E.  R.  Pahl   &  Company, 

294-296  Broaday, 

Milwaukee,  Wisconsin 

Eslablishod   1894 


Si.     ^.    33urnett 
<S- 


e. 


ompan 


Commission    •^4terc/ianfs 


7{c 


onei 


JC 


and   J.  roc/iice 

799   So.       Water  Street 


References; 
Your  own    Bank   or   any   Commercial 
Agency,    or     Apicultural     Periodical. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


21L 


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H.  B.  Campbell,  of  707  E.  Organ  St.,  Urbana,  111.,  in 
an  order  for  more  queens,  says:  "Two  years  ago  I 
sent  to  you  for  a  queen.  You  sent  me  a  Golden  Italian. 
She  is  a  fine  one,  and  a  prolific  la^^er." 


Samuel  H.  Hill,  of  Elizabeth,  111.,  in  a  letter  says: 
"The  queens  that  1  got  of  you  last  season  are  great 
layers,  and  their  bees  good  honey  gatherers." 


Before  July  1 

one     six   twelve 
Untested  $1.00  $5.00  $9.00 

War'dTM  1.25     7.00  13.00 
Tested         1.50 
Breeders     5.00     and  up 


After  July  1 
one  six  twelve 
$  75  $4.00  $'/.00 
Sel.  Unt'd  1.00  5.00  9.00 
1.25  7.00  13.00 
1.50 
5.00     and  up 


Nuclei   any   time    during    the   season  with    queen   and 
without. 


With  over  one  hundred  good  swarms,  and  hundreds 
of  nuclei,  we  can  fill  orders  by  return  mail.  Fair  and 
honest  treatment  to  every  one.  Price  list  and  descrip- 
tion of  stock,  will  be  ready  about  Jan.  1,  and  can  be  had 
for  the  asking. 


Fearf  Cit^p  i: 


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212 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


LEWIS  GOODS 

are  the  best  your  money  will  bu}^  whether  you  receive 
them  in  dead  of  winter  or  at  the  heigfht  of  the  honey  flow, 
or  when  the  bees  are  swarming:,  they  will  fit  accurately, 
admit  of  being-  put  together  quickly  and  will  be  found  to 
be  made  of  the  finest  material.  This  saves  you  time; 
this  saves  you  trouble;  this  saves  you  honey;  and  time, 
trouble  and  honey  mean  money  to  you.  Your  honey 
put  up  in  good  shape  will  bring-  higher  prices  and  the 
demand  for  it  will  be  increased  from  year  to  year. 
This  factory's  reliable  goods  have  started  many  a  man 
on  the  road  to  success. 


BEWARE 

WHERE    YOU    BUY  YOUR 

BEEWARE 

MAKE^  THE     FINEST 


ESTABLISHED  30  YEARS 

Annual    Output 

Twenty  Million  Sections 
One  Hundred  Thousand  Hives 

Send  for  Catalog.  Agents  Everywhere. 

G.  B.  LEWIS  CO. 

Watertown,         -  -         Wisconsin. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE 


213 


Is  the  name  under  which  Mr.  Hutchinson,  for  five 
years,  sold  my  strain  of  bees,  guaranteeing  safe 
arrival,  safe  introduction,  purity  of  mating,  and 
entire  satisfaction  to  the  extent  that  the  queen 
could  be  returned  any  time  within  two  years,  when 
the  money  would  be  returned,  together  with  SOcts. 
extra  to  pay  for  the  trouble.  Although  he  sold 
hundreds  of  queens  each  year,  in  only  two  instan- 
ces was  he  asked  to  return  the  money,  while  there 
were  hundreds  of  letters  from  pleased  purchasers. 
Not  more  than  half  a  dozen  queens  were  reported 
as  impurelj'  mated,  in  all  these  years,  while  the 
losses  in  transportation  and  introduction  were  not 
serious;  yet  on  account  of  those  guarantees,  Mr, 
Hutchinson  asked  $1.50  for  a  queen.  I  can  now 
sell  you  queens  that  are  exactly  the  same,  and 
g'uamtee  safe  arrival  anywhere  in  the  United 
States,  Canada  or  Cuba,  at  the  following  prices: 
Untested  queens  before  July  1,  $1.00  each;  six 
$5.00;  dozen  $9.00.     Untested  queens  after   July   1, 


$  .75  each;  six,  $4.00:  dozen,  S7.50.  Select  untested 
queens,  before  July  1,  $1.25  each;  six,  $6.00;  dozen. 
$11.00.  Select  untested  queens,  after  July  1,  $1.00 
each:  six,  S5.00;  dozen,  $9.00.  Single  queen,  Sl.OO; 
six  for  $5.00:  one  dozen,   $9.00, 

Send  for  a  circular  that  gives  the  experience 
of  well-known  bee-keepers  with  this  stock.  I  could 
fill  page  after  page  with  testimonials  regarding 
the  superior  working  qualities  of  this  stock,  but 
have  room  for  only  one,  and  that  is  from  a  young 
man  by  the  name  of  Leonard  S.  tiriggs,  living  on- 
ly five  miles  from  Flint,  Michigan,  and  thoroughly 
vouched  for  by  the  author  of  Advanced  Bee  Cul- 
ture. In  1903  he  bought  one  of  my  queens,  reared 
eight  young  queens  from  her  and  introduced  them 
to  as  many  colonies.  The  next  year  was  a  good 
year,  and  his  average  from  60  colonies  was  96X 
sections,  but  hi;  average  yield  from  the  nine  colo- 
nies of  Superior  Stock  was  180  sections. 


.©raaHj 


li£i) 


lQ?)fil}-i    (pOSSpS 


Reared  from  Superior  Stock  of  Hall's  tiold- 
en  Italians,  Hall's  Leather  Colored  Ital- 
ians and  Hall's  Gray  Carniolans. 

With  the  best  methods  and  careful  selec- 
tion, the  best  queens  are  reared. 

Fine,  large,  prolific  queens  from  Import- 
ed and  home-bred  breeders  that  produce 
bees  that  are  honey  getters.  Satisfaction 
goes  wherever  they  go.  If  queens  are  not 
as  represented,  your  money  is  refunded, 
and  you  get  the  queen  for  yuor  trouble. 
Long  experience  enables  us  to  know  how 
to  rear  the  best  of  queens. 

In  April,  May  and  June,  untested  queens 
either  strain,  Sl.OO;  six  for  $5.00:  twelve, 
for  $9.00.  Tested,  $1.50;  Select  tested, 
$2.50;  best  $5.00. 

In  July,  August,  September  and  Octo- 
ber, untested,  75  cts.;  six  for  S4.00;  twelve 
for  $7.00.  Tested.  $1.00:  Select  $2.00:  Best, 
$5.00. 

Please  write  us  for  discounts  on  large 
orders.  We  guarantee  safe  delivery  in 
good  order  to  your  Post  Office  or  Express 
Office.     Our  list  free  for  the  asking. 


Jasper, 


T.  S.  HALL, 
PicKiNS  Co.,        Georgia. 


m  siPPMS 


<^  ^ 


We  have  a  full  line  of  the  A. 
I.  Root  Company's  Hives,  Sec- 
tions, Foundation,  and  all 
necessary  supplies  needed  in 
the  apiary  which  we  can  fill 
orders  with  promptly.  If  you 
think  of  trying-  the  Danzen- 
baker  hives,  we  can  furnish 
them — full  lines  kept  in  stock. 
Write  for  our  Catalog,  or  send 
your  orders  with  prices  taken 
from  the  A.  I.  Root  Co's.  Cata- 
log-. We  can  give  you  quick 
service  and    low    freight  rates. 

We  make  a   Specialty  of 
Italian     Queens,     Tested    and 
Untested,    and    one-,  two-  and 
three-frame   nuclei.     Send   for 
special  qtieen  list. 

John  Nebel  &  Son  Supply  Co. 

High  Hill,  Mo. 


214 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


The  Bee=Keepers'  Review 


Is  most  emphatically  the  specialist's  journal.  For  15 
years  its  editor  made  his  living-  in  the  apiary,  and  he 
knows  the  needs  of  this  class  of  bee-keepers.  Instead 
of  using  space  for  "hints  to  begfinners,"  which  are  all 
right  in  their  place,  the  Review  turns  its  attention  to 
the  unsolved  problems  of  advanced  bee  culture.  Some 
of  the  best  best  bee-keepers  in  the  country,  those  who 
have  managed  large  numbers  of  colonies,  and  made 
money  in  so  doing,  describe  their  methods  in  the 
Review.  These  men  have  succeeded.  Thej^  have  made 
money.  They  can  point  the  way  for  others.  The  man 
who  has  kept  bees  several  years,  who  knows 
the  A  B  C  of  the  business,  is  now  interested  in  learning 
systems,  methods  and  short-cuts,  that  will  enable  him 
to  spread  out  and  "keep  more  bees,"  and  make  some 
money;  and  no  journal  is  doing  more  for  this  class  of 
bee-keepers  than  is  being   done   by   the   Review. 

The  Review  is  an  illustrated,  36-page  monthly  at 
$1.00  a  year.  If  you  wish  to  see  copies  before  subscrib- 
ing, send  ten  cents  for  three  late,  but  different  issues, 
and  the  ten  cents  may  apply  on  any  subscription  sent  in 
during  the  year.  A  coupon  will  be  sent  entitling  the 
holder  to  the  Review  one  year  for  only  90  cents. 

W.  Z.  HUTCHINSON,  ^%%\Zi  FLINT,  MICH. 


of  Beeville,  Bee  Co.,  Texas,  can  suply  you  with  pood  queens  and  bees  in  any  quanti- 
ties desired  from  the  following' races:  3- and  S-banded  Italians,  Holylands,  Cypri- 
ans, Albinos  and  Camiolans.  Untested,  $1.00  each;  $').00  per  dozen.  Tested.  $1.00 
each.  Breeders,  $3.00  each.  We  are  Agents  for  the  Dittmer  process  comb  founda- 
tion for  this  State.  If  you  wish  your  wax  worked  into  foundation  write  us.  We  also 
pay  the  highest  market  price  for  beeswax.     Bees  in  car  load  lots  a  specialty. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


215 


)T  foT  thie  qjunallty 
)T  ioT  tin®  pirice 

Factory  Established  25  Years 

Large  Illustrated  Catalog  and  Price  List  Free 


We  Publish 

The 


Now  In  Its  Iiith  Year 
Price  50c  a  Year — 36  Pages,  Illustrated 

Editors  H,  E.  Hill  and  Arthur  C  Miller 

Sample  Copy  free 

W.  T.  FALCONER  MFG.  CO. 


eeper 


Jamestown,  N.  Y. 


^^€M9M9MMM€MMM€M9M€MMM€l 


Queen  Breeder  and  wholesale 

Dealer  in  Honey 


Italian  Queens  bred  from  Red  Clover 
Stock  and  Superior  Stock  obtained 
from  W  Z.  Hutchinson,  Carniolans 
from  imported  stock.     Circulars  free. 

Will  buy   your  honey.     State   kind 
and  lowest  price. 


Chas.  Koeppen, 

Fredericksburg,  Va. 


Iim  tfcie  W©pld 

Best  bee  hives,  sections,  comb  foun- 
dation and  everything  the  bee- 
keeper needs. 

I^ewis  Goods  at  Factory  Prices 

We  are  prepared  to  quote  on,  and 
furnish,  any  quantity  of  supplies 
on  short  notice,  from  the  best  ship- 
ping point  in  the  country.  Queen 
bees  sent  promptly  from  our  own 
breeders.  The  best  of  comb  and 
extracted  honey  always  on  hand. 
Best  of  service  and  satisfaction 
guaranteed.      Catalog    sent    free. 

C.    M.     SCOTT,     &    COMPANY. 
Indianapolis,  Ind. 


Can  save  time,  money  and  freiwht  charges  by  patronizing 
W.  D.  SOPER,  Jackson,  Mich. 

He  is  not  in  the  "trust,"  as  many  call  it;  he  buys  and  sells  for  cash 
and  customers  receive  the  benefit  of  these  conditions.     Send  for  catalogue. 


m 


216 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


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This  Paper  Teaches  How 


an      amateur 

every     month 

Here    are    11 


WHETHER    you    are     experienced     or 
bee-keeper,     you    can    learn     more 
from    the    RURAL    BEE-KEEPER, 
reasons    selected    from    a    score: 

RURAL  BEE-KEEPER 

1st.     It  is  fearless,  honest,  straightforward  in  policy. 

2nd.  Its  question  department  promptly  answers  inquiries  clearly  and 
simply.    It  is  open  to  every  subscriber  as  often  as  he  wishes  to  use  it. 

3rd.  Each  issue  embraces  from  20  to  28  large  pages  (7  x  10)  set  in  type- 
clear  and  easy  to  read. 

4th.  It  is  careful  in  its  investigations,  discreet  in  its  criticisms,  authorita- 
tive in  its  decisions. 

5th.  Its  articles  are  practical  and  always  represent  profit-earning  value 
to  every  reader. 

6th.  One  of  its  most  valuable  features  is  that  its  vigilant  editor  is  always 
on  "picket  duty,"  to  warn  his  readers  against  mistakes  and  save  them  money 
loss,  discouragement  and  failure. 

7th.  It  is  printed  on  e.xcellent  paper,  illustrated  with  descriptive  drawings 
and  half-tones.     It  is  attractive  from  start  to  finish. 

8th.  It  has  a  want  and  exchange  department,  a  honey  dealers'  and  queen 
breeders'  directory. 

9th.  It  not  only  teaches  you  how  to  handle  bees  summer  and  winter;  how 
to  age  and  preserve  honey,  but  it  explains  how  to  pack,  ship  and  market  it  at 
a  profit— wholesale  and  retail.  It  reports  reliable  market  quotations  in  the 
principal   markets. 

10th.  It  has  a  big  "letter  box"  filled  every  month  with  actual  successes 
and  experiences  of  its  readers— mighty  interesting  reading. 

11th.  Its  advertising  columns  are  open  only  to  reliable,  guaranteed 
advertisers. 

These  are  a  few  of  the  many  reasons  why 

You  Need  the  Rural  Bee-Keeper 
to  Make  More  Money 

8  1-2  cents  a  month.    You  can  afford  $1  a  year  or  trial  25c   for  6  months. 
Sample  copy  free.    Write  us  now  enclosing  at  least   25c    for   six    months. 

The  Rural  Bee-Keeper^  River  Falls^  Wis. 

W.  H.  Putnam,   Editor 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  2i: 


Do  vou  know  that 


DITTMER'S  FOUNDATION 


Is  in  the  Front  Rank? 


Why? 


Because  our  Sheeting-  Process,  makes  the 
toughest    and     most     transparent    wax    sheets. 

Because  every  particle  of  impurity  and 
foreign  substance,  is  absolutely  removed  from 
the  wax  by  Dittmer's  Process,  producing-  a 
cake,  clear  and  transparent. 

Because  the  finished  product  not  only  gives 
the  best  satisfaction  but  is  the  most  beautiful 
of  an3'  foundation  made. 

It  has  the  colors  equal  to  the  richest  orange 
and  lemon  and  the  rich  sweet  smell  of  Beeswax. 

Our  Sheeting  Automatic  Machines  are  our 
inventions,  bj-  which  four  persons  can  produce 
1200  pounds  per  day,  trimmed,  papered  and 
ready  for  boxing. 

Our  sales  have  increased  from  5,000  pounds 
in  1899,  to  about  40,000  pounds  in  1905,  because 
we  constanth'  improve  the  qualit3-,  and  give 
satisfaction. 

We  supply  the  largest  dealers  in  the  coun- 
try. We  make  a  specialty  of  supplying  Dealers 
and  large  Consumers,  and  of  Working  Wax  into 
Foundation  for  Cash. 

Write  for  Prices  and  Samples. 

A  full  line  of  supplies,  WHOLESALE 
and  RETAIL. 


OUS  DITTMER,  Augusta,  Wisconsin, 


218 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


Best  equipped  factory  in  Wisconsin.  A  larg-e  stock  and  variety  of  every- 
thing needed  in  the  Apiary.  Best  goods  at  the  lowest  prices,  and  prompt  ship- 
ments. I  want  every  bee-keeper  to  have  my  free  illustrated  catalogue  and  read 
the  descriptions  of  the  Celebrated  Cedar  shingle  roof  bee  hive  cover. 

Write  at  once  for  catalogue. 

A.  H.  RUSCH, 
Manitowoc  Co.  Reedsville,  "Wis. 


7  jig?,=g  ac7.:iD  Oi^i^s  JigT^a?  ifc/ig  A^^  j^^jy  .^cr^i?  i 

Now  is  the  time  to  Order 


WESTERN  BEE  KEEPERS 


Bee-Hives 
Sections 
Shipping  Cases 
Berry  Boxes 
And  Crates 

for    the    coming    season. 

By  sending  us    a  list   of  1 

goods  wanted  we  can  save  f 

you  money.  % 

Sheboygan  Fruit  Box  Co.  % 

SHEBOYGAN,         -         -        Wis.       % 

m 


Can  save   money  b^'  buyintr 


SUPPLIES 


BARTELDES  &  COMPANY 

The  Pioneer  Bee  Supply  House 
of  Colorado. 

1521=25    I5th     Street 
DENVER,     =     COLORADO. 


We  have  everythintf    up    to    date.      Ask 
for  Catalo8:ue, 


7  £r£:^  £r/^  cr^^  er/^.'v  cr/w  iP/V  " 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


219 


Advanced  Bee  Veil, 

Cord  arrangement,  absolutely  bee 
proof,  best  on  earth.  IMade  of  im- 
ported French  tulle  veiling.  Cot- 
ton, with  silk  face. 

50  cents,  post  paid. 


Bee  -  Keepers^    Supplies 

Wholesale  and  Retail 


G.  B.  Lewis  Go's  and 

Dadant  &  Son^s  Goods 


We  carry  a  lar^estock.  several  car  loads,  and  it 
will  be  considerable  to  your  advantage  to  order  from 
this  point  on  account  of  the  saving-  in  transportation 
charges  and  our  ability  to  make  prompt  shipments. 
We  sell  at  regular  factory  prices  F.  O.  B.  Grand 
Rapids,  Michigan.  We  are  located  at  the  best  ship- 
ling-  t  oint  in  Michigan,  competing-  lines  assuring 
lowest  freight  rates  and  direct  lines  to  all  parts  of  the 
State,  obliterating-  delays  and  rough  handling  of  goods 
made  possible  in  transfers. 


A.  G.  WOODMAN 
COMPANY, 

GRAND  RAPIDS,  MICH. 


ITALIAN  QUEENS. 


o^^-^.^^ 


Bee-keepers  needing-  a  few  choice  queens  will 
make  no  mistake  in  placing  their  orders  with  me. 
My  stock  can  be  placed  in  competition  with  an}'. 
For  g^entleness,  hardiness  and  honey  g-atherers,  no 
better  can  be  found.  No  dissatisfied  customers. 
Write  for  prices.     Satisfaction  in  all  cases. 

White  Wyandotte  Poultry, 

My  pens  are  headed  by  males  of  the  Famous 
Duston  strain.  Fine  layers  and  good  mothers.  Eg-g-s 
in  season.     Write  for  prices. 

J,  F.  Michael, 

R.  F.  D.  No.  I  Winchester,  Ind. 


220 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


We  furnish  EVERYTHING  needed  in  practical  and 
profitable  Bee  Culture.       We  manufacture  the 

Massie  Hives 

Dovetailed  Hives 

Langfstroth  Hives 

Alternating  Hives 
Chaff  Hives 

With  either  the 

Scalloped  Supers 

Plain  Section  Supers 
Perfection  Supers 
Eerguson  Supers 
Massie  Supers 

We    have   millions    of    as  nice  SECTIONS  as  are  to  be  found 

in  the  market,  either  scalloped,    plain  or  bored, 

of  all  the  STANDARD  sizes. 


All  our  Foundation  is  made  by  the 

'eed  Process 

P^rom  Strictly  Pure  Wax.     None  Better. 


HINTS  TO  BEGINNERS 

and  our  larpfe  illustrated  C  talog'  is  furnished 

Free  ^o  ^11  ^©©<=']Keepiers  or 
O©ml®rso 

It  describes  and  illustrates  numerous  money-saving' and  money- 
making-  devices,tried  in  our  own  Apiaries,  before  offering  them 
to  the  public.  Write  at  once  for  a  cop3'  of  our  Catalog.  Our 
prices  are  the  lowest,  the  quality  of  our  goods  equal  to  the  best;  a 
trial  will  prove  our  assertion. 


RKTCMMER 


YOU  HAVE  ANY  HONEY  TO  SELL, 
EITHER  EXTRACTED  OR  FANCY 
COMB,  CORRESPOND  WITH  US. 
WE  HANDLE  CAR  LOADS  OF 
HONEY  EVERY  MONTH. 

BEE  SUPPLIES 


WE  HANDLE  THE  FINEST  BEE 
SUPPLIES  IN  AMERICA.  SEND 
FOR  OUR  FREE  CATALOG.  — 

QUEENS 


OUR  STRAINS  BEAT  THE 
WORLD.  BUCKEYE  STRAIN  THREE 
BANDED  RED  CLOVER;  MUTH 
STRAIN  GOLDEN  ITALIANS;  AND 
MUTH  STRAIN  CARNIOLANS. 

GIVE  THEM  A  TRIAL.  1»^^^ 

THE  FRED  W.  MUTH  CO. 

No.  51  WALNUT  STREET, 
CINCINNATI,     -     -     OHIO. 


222 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


ROOT 

Quality 


The  extra  pains  taken  to 
make  things  just  right, 

That'sRootQuality 

It  can  be  had  in  Michi- 
gan of  M.  H.  Hunt  & 
Son,  and  with  it  "the 
extra  pains"  in  packing 
carefully  and  shipping 
promptly. 

Everything  for  the  bees 

and   everything     "Root 

Quality." 

We    pay     market  price 
for  beeswax. 


M.    H.    HUNT    & 
SON, 

BELL  BRANCH,  MICHIGAN 


WAYNE  COUNTY 


OF 

Quality 

ARE  MADE  BY 

Van  Leyen 

&HEIiSLER 

EMGRAVERS 
DESIGhERS 
ELECTROTYPE^ 

lO  LARNED  ST.  E. 

DETROIT,  MICH. 


TOLEDO,    OHIO 

Is  the  largest  railroad  cen- 
ter in  the  United  States. 
Freight  rates  are  the  lowest 
We  carrj^  on  hand  at  all 
times  the  largest    stock   of 

ROOT'S    BEE   SUPPLIES 

and  can  save  you  money. 
We  buy  and  sell  Comb  and 
Extracted  Honey.  If  in 
need,  let  lis  quote  you 
prices.  If  for  sale,  give  us 
best  price  delivered  here. 
We  handle  several  thou- 
sand pounds  of  Amber  Ex- 
tracted in  barrels  and  cans 
annually. 

BEESWAX 

wanted  at  all    times.     Our 

Free  Illustrated  Catalogue 

for  the  asking. 

GRIGGS  BROS.  Toledo,  Ohio. 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE.  22: 


fllWERlGflN  BEE  JOUHNflli 


Established  in   1  861 

The  American  Bee  Journal  is  the  only  weekly- 
bee  paper  in  America. 

Those  who  write  for  it  are  among-  the  most 
extensive  and  best  bee-keepers  in  the  world.  Many 
of  them  produce  honey  by  the  ton,  and  make  money 
at  the  business,  hence  their  experiences  are  valu- 
able. 

The  American  Bee  Journal  has  the  following- 
departments,  each  of  which  shows  its  nature  by  its 
name: 

Editorial  Notes  and  Comments. 

Miscellaneous  News  Items. 

Contributed  Special  Articles. 

Opinions  of  Some  Experts. 

Proceedings  of  Conventions. 

Our  Bee-Keeping-  Sisters. 

Mr.  Hasty *s  Afterthoughts. 

Dr.  Miller's  Question  Box. 

"Combed"  and  "Extracted.'" 

Reports  and  Experiences. 

Hone}- and  Beeswax  Market  Quotations. 

Ever}-  bee-keeper,  whether  he  or  she  has  one 
colony  or  a  hundred,  should  read  the  old  American 
Bee  Journal  every  week. 

Only  SI. 00  a  year;  or  20  cents  for  a  trial  trip  of 

three  months  to  a  ne-w  subscriber. 
Sample  copy  free.     Ask  for  it.     Address, 

American  Bee  Journal, 

334  Dearborn  Street, 
CEO.  W.  YORK,  Editor.  CHICAGO,  ILLS. 


224 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


JHake  your  i^tpcs 


EE  keeping 

p^     is    b u s 3^ 

^==^  work  i  n 
the  summer-time; 
but  the  winter 
brings  a  leisure 
that  many  more 
bee-keepers  might 
profitably  employ 
in  making  needed 
hives,  supers  or 
shipping  cases  for 
another  year. 
Power  and  expen- 
sive machinery  are 
not  needed;  simply  a  cosy  little  shop  and  a  foot-pow- 
er saw  are  all  that  are  needed.  When  a  bee-keep- 
er realizes  all  this,  there  is  no  question  as  to  what 
saw  he  shall  buy;  it  is  made  at  the  factory  of 
W.  F.  &JNO.  BARNES  CO.,  Rock  ford,  III. 
The  author  of  this  book  has  used  one  of  these 
machines,  and  has  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  it  is 
all  that  is  claimed  for  it.  Any  one  who  buys  a  ma- 
chine, and  is  not  entirely  satisfied  with  it,  has  the 
privilege  of  returning  it  and  having  his  money  re- 
turned. One  thing  more;  there  are  attachments, 
such  as  a  scroll-saw,  a  boring  attachment,  etc.,  that 
can  be  added  at  a  small  cost.     Send  for  catalogue. 

>*     >i#    yt     >i*     >i*     >i#     >i#    ^i     >i*     >i<     \i    >* 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


325 


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Daughters  of  selected,  imported  Ital- 
ians, selected  long-tongued  (  Moore's  ) 
and  selected,  straight,  five  -  banded 
Queens,  Carniolans  (mated  to  Carnio- 
lan  drones  in  distant  yard,  and  to  Ital- 
ian drones),  and  imported  Caucasians 
(lately  received,  and  mated,  for  the 
present,  to  Carniolan  and  Italian 
drones.     Each  yard  isolated.     No  bee  diseases. 

All  queen  cells  are  built  in  strong,  full  colonies, 
by  the  most  approved,  modern  methods.  Safe 
arrival  guaranteed  on  all  queens. 

Untested  queens,  before  July,  75  cts.  each;  six 
for  $4.00;  twelve  for  $7.50.  After  July  ist,  single 
queen,  60  cts.;  six  for  $3.25;  twelve  for  $6.00. 

Tested  queens,  before  July,  $1.50  each;  six  for 
$8.00;  twelve  for  $15.00.  After  July  ist,  single 
queen  for  $1.25;  six  for  $6.00. 

Discounts  on  large  orders.  Contracts  with  deal- 
ers a  specialty. 

J  .M.  DAVIS, 

Spring  Hill,  Tenn. 


326 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


The  Danzenbaker  20th  Century 
Smoker. 


Awarded  Hig-hest   Prize 
GOLD     MEDAL 

at  the  World's    Fair   at 
ST.      LOUIS,   1904. 


BEST 
COOLEST 
CLEANEST 
STRONGEST 
UP   TO  DATE 


THE  PERPENDICULAR  GRATE  seen  above 
lias  a  dividing-  rib  at  thie  center  of  the  draft- hiole, 
midway  of  the  fire-cup.  in  line  with  the  only  open- 
ing of  the  bellows  for  directinK  and  deflectiner  the 
air  upward  and  downward  or  both  way-  if  de- 
sired. The  upper  current  cools  and  forces  the 
smoke  out  the  nozzle,  as  it  burns  from  the  top 
downward,  whlie  the  lower  current  fans  the  fire 
until  all  the  fuel  is  consumed. 

SIMPLICITY  AND  DURABILITY  are  assured 
by  all  that  is  needed,  and  nothing  more.  The 
only  opening  of  the  bellows  has  no  valve  or  con- 
ducting air-tube  to  wear,  tear,  or  break.  There 
is  nothing  to  etet  out  of  order.  The  openings  of  the 
fire-cup  and  bellows  are  spaced  to  give  a  direct 
blast  without  drawing  creosote  into  the  bellows. 

ALL  THAT  IS  CLAIMED.— The  General  Man- 
ager of  the  National  Bee-Keepers'  Association 
says: 

I  have  given  your  Twentieth  Century  Smoker  a 
thorough  trial.  For  convenience  in  lighting,  du- 
rabilitj-.  and  long  time  one  filling  will  last  and 
give  ample  smoke,  I  find  it  all  you  claim.  In  the 
spring  I  shall  want  several.  I  always  want  the 
best.  N.  E.  Fkance,  Platteville,  Wis. 

PRICES 

With  other  goods,  or  by  express,  $1.00;  two,  $1.90; 

three,  $2.50.    By  mail.  25  cts.  each  extra 

for  postage. 

SPECIAL  OFFERS 

One  pair  40cbee-glov&s,  20th  Century  Smoker, 

postpaid $1  50 

Silk-front  50c  bea-veil,  20th  Century  Smoker 

postpaid '.    .      1.50 

A  B  C  of  Bee  Culture  ($1.20.)  20th  Century 

Smoker,   postpaid 2.10 

Gleanings  in  Bee  Culture  (1  yr.)  20th  Century 

Smoker,  postpaid 2.00 

Gleanings  (5  months),  20th  Century  Smoker, 

postpaid 1.50 

Review  (1  yr.)  20th  Century  Smoker,  postp'd     2.00 

Every  Thing  Guaranted  "Root  Quality." 

P.  DANZENBAKER,  MIAMA,  DADE  CO.,  FLA. 

Or  care  The  A.  I.  Root  Co.,  Medina,  Ohio. 


We  are  Manufacturers  of 

Bee= Keepers' 

Supplies 

Lowest  Prices  and  Hig-hest 
Quality.  Our  new  Catalog-  just 
out.  Write  for  it.  Compare 
prices  with  others.  15  years' 
experience.  Not  in  the  Combi- 
nation. Modern  Machinery. 
Sections  and  Shipping-Cases  by 
the  car-load.  Prompt  shipments. 
Hives,  Extractors,  Feeders,  and 
all  Supplies  used  by  bee-keepers. 
All  goods  guaranteed  as  per  Cat- 
alog. 

MONDENG  MFG.  CO. 

147  and  149  Cedar  Lake  Road, 
Minneapolis,    Minn 


C 


Printing- 

HALLACK  &  HARTSHORN, 
Flint,  Michigan,  printed  this 
bool<,  and  also  print  the  Bee- 
Keepers'  Review,  as  well  as 
the  Annual  Report  of  the 
National  Bee-Keepers'  Asso- 
ciation, and,  if  given  the  op- 
portunity, can  print  your  sta- 
tionery, catalog  or  price  list 
equally  neat.  £££££££ 


I 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


327 


to    ©rdleir    5^©tir 
ppiises  asfil  for  otir  cat° 

islh  yom  ^fMIi  prices  ©n 

TAILISD  HIVES  aimd 
SUFEM&  Catalog  will 
fee  ireads^  h)y  tlhe  Iffirst  @f 
tine  ^eaifo  "^  ^  ^  ^  ^ 
MARSHFIIEILD  MFGo 
COop     MarsSnfneldp     ^WiSo 


I 


And  STANLEY  INCUBATORS 

FtjII  Colony,  with  tested  Oueen,  in  ten-frame,  L. 
Hive,  $5.00. 

Newdetts,  or  three  L.  frames,  $2.00.  Price  of  Queen 
to  be  added. 

Queens,  warrented,  75  cts  each,  or  $7.00  a  dozen;  Test- 
ed, $1.25  each,  or  $10.00  a  dozen;  best  breeding- 
queens,  $2.00  to  $5.00  each. 

Incubator  and  Brooder,  (patented),  best  on  the  market 
for  rearing-  and  caring  for  Queens,  complete, 
$5.00. 

Queen  Cells,  100  mounted,  with  sample  of  Cylinder 
Cage,  sent  postage  paid,  for  only  75  cts. 

AMTMUM  STANILEYp 

DIXON,  ILL. 


?28  ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


VAN   DEUSEN'S 

FOUNDATION 

Has  stood  the  test  of  time  for  pur- 
ity, and  cleanliness;  and  can  be  had 
any  weight  or  number  of  square 
feet  to  the  pound  that  may  be  de- 
sired. For  the  brood  or  extracting 
frames  fine  wire  is  incorporated  in 
the  foundation,  furnishing  a  sure 
support,  and  is 

The  Only  Wired 

Foundation  Made. 

We  solicit  a  portion  of  your  trade 
and  if  you  have  Beeswax  to  sell, 
write  us,  we  want  it. 

The  editor  of  Review  used  about 
100  pounds  of  our  wired  foundation 
in  his  own  apiary  this  past  season, 
this  fact  of  itself  speaks  volumes. 

J.  A.  Van  Deusen, 

Sprout  Brook,     -     -     New  York 


ADVANCED  BEE  CULTURE. 


329 


Honey  Cans  and  Pails 


FRICTION  TOP  STYLE 

Made  by  the 

AMERICAN  CAN  CO. 

New  York 
Chicago 
San  Francisco 

These  cans  furnish  ideal  Honej'  Containers,  in  that  they  provide  a  large 
opening  for  filling- or  emptying,  and  are  readily  opened  and  closed.  Having 
no  projecting  caps,  thej'  pack  conveniently  for  shipment. 


Capacity 

Diameter 

Height 

I      lb. 

Cans 

2    II-16 

4 

2         " 

" 

3/2 

4% 

25^" 

" 

.short  ql 

4 

4     9-16 

3      •' 

full      " 

4     3-16 

4% 

5      " 

Pails 

.short  l/^ 

gal. 

5     1-32 

5  11-16 

10     " 

" 

"        I 

•' 

6    3-16 

y'A 

6      .> 

" 

full    14  gal. 

5    3-8 

5   7-16 

12      " 

I 

" 

6  17-32 

7  3-16 

24     " 

" 

"           2 

'■ 

SJi 

9Vs 

These  cans  and  pails  are  niide  at  May- 
wood,  111.,  near  Chicago.  All  sizes  larger 
than  three  pounds  have  wire  bail  handles. 
Special  sizes  can  be  furnished  if  ordered 
in  large  quantities. 


60  Pound  or  5  Gallon  Square  Cans 

1 H  inch  Screw  Nozzle 
DOUBLE    CASE 

Cans  are  provided  with  wire  handles  as  shown 
in  cut. 

Gases  have  J^-inch  ends  and  ?s-inch  paritions, 
balance  ^'s-inch  lumber.  Ends  of  cases  have  cr.t 
handles. 

We  also  furnish  same  style  in  single  cases. 

Shipping    weight    of   single  case  85^  pounds. 

Shipping  weight  of  double  case,    15  pounds. 

60  pound  or  5  gallon  round  cans,  wood  jacketed, 
wire  bail  handles,  3-inch  screw  opening,  independent 
jacket.  Inside  tin  can  easily  removable  from  jacket 
to  admit  of  contents  being  heated  to  facilitate  pour- 
ing. Prices  on  all  the  above  quoted  upon  application 
stating  quantity  wanted. 

AMERICAN  CAN  COMPANY 


New  York 


Chicago 


San  Francisco 


330 


ADVANCKT)  BKE  CULTURK. 


IMPROVED  METAL  HONEY  SHIPPING  CASE 


For  24  Standard  Sections  4'+  x  4'4  x  1% 

Outside  coated  g-reen 

A 

ISfc 

^^~ — ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^1 

A 

PRACTICAL 

1 

I^H  -.Jr^ .    ■.             ^H 

SANITARY 

CASE 

■ 

PACKAGE 

MaiU-  from  Heavy  Tin  Plato.     Il  has  a  himrt-d  cover.     K.xtra  heavy  kdass  front. 

Wire  handles  on  ends  and  cover.     This   case   can   he   used    when 

empty  by  grocers  tor  display  purposes  or  1)^-  the  neat 

housekivper  as  a  cake   or  bread  box. 

Made   by  the    AMERICAN  CAN   CO..   New   York,    Chicatfo.   San  Francisco. 


vwwtfwvwyww^wwtfuw^wyvwwywyvwvwv^ 


e.  e  e/c 


e/nons 


&    Co. 


38  years  in  the  Honey  Business. 

Prompt  Returns.     Top    market 

Price.      Let  us  have  your  shipments. 


\mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmh} 


D.  H.  HILL  LIBRARY 

North  Carolina  State  College 


